71896 49024
The Journal of Professional Adventurers
SOVIET Bd
ADDRESS .
CITY_
STATE.
□ Payment Enclosed (U.S. Funds Only)
□ MasterCard □ VISA
CARD # . .
EXP. DATE.
(Offer good in U.S. only)
Offer expires 12/31/85
B6VR5
□ YES! Send me one year (12 issues) of SURVIVE for $24.
I save 20%.
□ I prefer two years (24 issues) for only $44.1 save 26%.
(Savings based on annual newsstand rate of $30.)
. ,
4 m
Fabrique Nationale has harnessed centuries of military expertise to bring you a sporting rifle with
unparalleled long-range accuracy reliable performance and steadfast stopping power. Feel the quality.
Experience the excitement. Live the legend. All from Fabrique Nationale, whose heritage dates back to
14th century Europe, Napoleon ; s army and the American Revolution.
FN-LAR • The ultimate semi-automatic sporting rifle in .308
calibre and without peer. Brought to you from the meticulous
workshops of Fabrique Nationale—the world's foremost name in
military weaponry and suppliers to armed forces of more than
90 free countries.
ACCOUTREMENTS. t 0
further enhance the capabilities and precision of the
FN-LAR ; we offer accessories crafted to the same pain¬
staking standards as the rifle itself—Magazines 7
Scopes, Removable bipods, Webb sling. Tool Kit,
Armours manual, and Cleaning kit... to name a few.
NOW. Don't delay You owe it to yourself to discover
the quality, the excitement and the legend behind the
FN-LAR. It's the finest semi-automatic rifle money can
buy. Period.
IrfCht Aummatic
FABRIQUE NATIONALE
For more information, contact your nearest quality sporting goods dealer.
Or, for a color brochure and an FN arm patch, send $4.00 to:
Department FN Sports, Gun South, Inc., P.O. Box 6607, Birmingham, AL 35210.
THE COMBAT
SHOTGUN AND
:hinegun
Secrets
Of the
THE COMBAT SHOTGUN
AND SUBMACHINE GUN
A Special Weapons Analysis
by Chuck Taylor
From one of America s mostsought-
after shooting instructors comes an
in-depth analysis of these two con¬
troversial small arms. Taylor pro¬
vides a comprehensive education
in the use of these commonly mis¬
employed guns. Includes info on
field testing, drills, tactics, accesso¬
ries and techniques. 8V4 x 11. soft-
cover. 385 photos, 176 pp. $14.95
SECRETS OF THE NINJA
by Ashida Kim
This is the real thing —oneof the few
complete, hardcover studies of this
terrifying and deadly martial art Text
and photos illustrate Ninja princi¬
ples of invisibility, covert entry,
escape and evasion, assassination,
sentry removal, meditation, mind
clouding and much more. 5Vi x 8V4.
hardcover. 200 photos, 168 pp.
$16.95
BOUNTY HUNTER
by Bob Burton
Adventure is his occupation; a hefty
commission is his reward. He is a
professional bounty hunter, and he
stalks the most elusive of all prey—a
wanted man. Hereisthebusinessas
told by a pro. Learn how to get your
first job, track a fugitive, arrest him
and turn him over to the police.
Included is a state-by-state listing of
laws. 5Vi x 8Vi, softcover, 136 pp.
S10.00
GET EVEN:
The Complete Book of Dirty Tricks
This ultimate work in do-it-yourself justice makes other harassment books look like a
Sunday school picnic. You’ll never again have to “grin and bear it" when inconsider¬
ate creeps do you dirty. Learn how to get even when you’re wronged by an enemy,
victimized by a credit card company, or ripped off by any menacing organization.
Here is a manual written by a master of revenge whose wisdom will put you on top of
any situation where you used to feel helpless. Methods of revenge range from simple
pranks to sophisticated techniques of devastation. Knowing these ingenious tactics
of veteran tricksters, you’ll gain new respect for yourself. You’ll never again feel like a
powerless underdog. Of course this is for entertainment purposes only! 5V£ x 8V&,
hardcover, 190 pp. $12.95
UNREPENTANT SINNER
by Colonel Charles Askins
Experience justice—Askins' style. Unrepentant sinner
Charles Askins raises hell around the world and lives to tell
about it in this raw, action-packed autobiography. Whether
as part of his official or unofficial duties, Askins stalks man
and beast, stretching the limits of authority to live life to the
fullest. In this unexpurgated memoir, the Colonel pursues
wetbacks, cattle rustlers, poachers.and Vietcong—to name
a few. As one of the world's greatest big-game hunters,
Askins recalls his adventures hunting virtually every type of
big game. Read about oneof the world s last rugged indi¬
vidualists. 6x9, hardcover, photos, 320 pp. $17.9S
COMMANDO
DAGGER
BOLL S ETC
CTCBSEW: IfrfiAHSflefvfo
BULL'S EYE: CROSSBOWS BY
RAGNAR BENSON
From the armies of Alexander the
Great to contemporary pig traps in
Burma, the crossbow has had a long
and illustrious career. In his unique,
entertaining style, Ragnar takes you
around the world to demonstrate
today’s crossbow. Learn all the
crossbow's uses, the insand outs of
modern crossbows and the prob¬
lems you'll face in the field. 5% x 8'A,
softcover, illus., photos, 88 pp.
$8.00
THE RUGER 1022 EXOTIC WEAPONS SYSTEM
Here is a conversion system you can bet your life on 1 Now
you can transform your Ruger 1022 into a selective-fire,
close-combat gun you can trust. With simple hand tools,
you can build the parts that will convert your trusty Ruger
1022 into a selective-fire weapon that can fire over 1,000
rounds per minute on full auto—all without modifying the
receiver or trigger housing in any way. Just drop in the
conversion parts, and you’re ready for whatever—or
whomever—comes. Over 60 explicit photos, machinist s
drawings and full-scale templates accompany the de¬
tailed instructions for making this conversion foolproof.
9x12, softcover, illus., 96 pp. $12.00
a Forbidden
Fighting
Techniques
?£Ninia
THE AR-15/M16: A PRACTICAL GUIDE
by Duncan Long
The AR-15/M16, the inspiration for so many modern
assault rifles, is covered herein this definitive book. Should
you wish to build your own or convert it to auto fire, Duncan
Long supplies you with parts and tool lists and detailed
step-by-step instructions. Virtually any accessory you may
wish to buy for your AR-15 is listed. Invaluable to the M16
owner, this comprehensive book also covers assembly and
disassembly, conversion kits and modifications, trouble¬
shooting, ammunition, combat use. lubrication and more.
8Vi x 11, softcover. photos. 168 pp. $14.95
NINJA KNIFE FIGHTING
by Dr. R. Kelly Hill, Jr.
Night falls. The glint of cold steel
slashes through the darkness. The
threat is real, but are you ready?
Become the self-reliant person
you’d tike to be. Learn about select¬
ing a knife, grips, training targets
and drills, physical conditioningand
the Ninja response modes—Earth.
Wind, Fire and Water—that give you
the necessary strategic and tactical
flexibility. 8% x 11, hardcover, 124
photos. 128 pp. $19.95
COMMANDO DAGGER
The Complete Illustrated History of
the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife
by Leroy Thompson
The most widely recognized fighting
knife, the F-S dagger made the vital
difference in many hand-to-hand
struggles. For the first time, here's a
comprehensive, heavily illustrated
reference on the F-S and its de¬
scendants. Over 60 knives are de¬
tailed in photos with accompanying
specs 8Vi x 11. clothbound. 189
photos, 176 pp $25.00
FORBIDDEN FIGHTING
TECHNIQUES OF THE NINJA
by Ashida Kim
Pass through the dark night of the
soul and, like the Ninja, become a
mystic warrior of the shadows To
help you in your quest of the Silent
Way. Ashida Kim presents exer¬
cises. strategy, fighting techniques
and ceremonial oaths of initiation.
With practice and study, you can
master this terrifying form of self-
defense. 8Vi x 11, hardcover. 271
photos. 128 pp. $19.95
DEAD CLIENTS DON'T PAY
The Bodyguard's Manual
by Leroy Thompson
Now, learn the business of body-
guarding like it really is! Topics in¬
clude checking for auto tampering,
home and office security, weapons'
selection, assessing the threats and
more. Illustrations detail car and
grounds security. Here are the
glamour, the guns, the facts of the
trade. 5Vi x 8Vi, softcover, 120 pp.
$ 10.00
THE MINI-14 EXOTIC WEAPONS SYSTEM
Use this home workshop guide to convert your Mini into a
selective-fire, silenced. S.W.A.T-type weapon capable of
field-clearing firepower. Provides complete workshop
plans, 40 close-up photos and full-scale templates. This
conversion process requires no machining or special tools.
Once completed, it takes just five minutes to drop in the
Automatic Connector (the book's secret!) or remove it as
needed. Also includes detailed plans for a quick-and-easy
caliber .223 silencer. 9x12, softcover, photos, templates,
72 pp. $12.00
DEAD CLIENTS
DON TRW
OTHER FASCINATING TITLES
WARRIOR SECRETS _
... $10.00
TIGER SCROLL OF THE
THE SURVIVAL RETREAT ..
. $ 8.00
KOGA NINJA
.$ 8.00
COMBAT SURVIVAL .
. , .$14.95
AN INFANTRYMAN'S GUIDE TO
THE COLT .45 EXOTIC
URBAN COMBAT ..
$14.95
WEAPONS SYSTEM
$12.00
FIND 'EM FAST: A PRIVATE
UP YOURS!.
.... $12.95
INVESTIGATOR’S
SPECIAL FORCES MEDICAL
WORKBOOK
$12.00
HANDBOOK.
$14.95
AR-7 EXOTIC WEAPONS
HOW TO GET ANYTHING ON
SYSTEM ..
$12.00
ANYBODY
$30.00
SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONAL
MAD AS HELL.
. $12.95
TECHNIQUES ......
$14.95
HOW TO FIND ANYONE
U.S. NAVY SEAL
ANYWHERE..
. $19.95
COMBAT MANUAL..
$14.95
MONEY-
BACK
GUARANTEE
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
*
PALADIN PRESS
PO BOX 1307— JIVIG
BOULDER. CO 80306
Phone (303) 443-7250
Call TOLL FREE for credit card orders;
1-800-824-7888; Ask for Operator *249.
Alaska & Hawaii, 1-800-624-7919.
Send SI for latest PALADIN CATALOG.
Catalog free with order.
Please send me the fottowing titles:
Payment: □ Check or Money Order, □ VISA.D MasterCard.fxp.Dafe_
«». i i ii 11111111111 n
NAME .
ADDRESS
CITY_
Please include
S3.00 postage
and handling _
TOTAL _
JULY 85
SOIJHEK OF FORTUNE 1
DE-BRIEF
by Dale A. Dye, Executive Editor
W E hate to say it — Lord knows
America’s Vietnam Veterans
don’t need any more bad news —
but General William C. Westmore¬
land copped out on all of us when
he surrendered to CBS and
dropped his libel suit. It’s not like
an old campaigner to cut and run in
the face of enemy pressure unless
the tactical situation demands a
strategic withdrawal to prevent to¬
tal defeat or unless your supporting
arms fail. I think Westy faced both
of those problems.
Still, he could have counterat¬
tacked or at least maneuvered him¬
self into a more favorable position
for defense against the CBS
assault. He did neither. In fact,
Westmoreland
dropped the $120 mil¬
lion suit not long be¬
fore it was scheduled
to go to a jury. The
move was ironically
reminiscent of the
Paris Peace Talks that
eventually ended the
Vietnam War, which
Westy directed for
four turbulent years. A
statement announc¬
ing compromise in the
case was vague
enough to suggest an oriental face¬
saving ploy of the type U.S. peace
negotiator Henry Kissinger regular¬
ly allowed the North Vietnamese to
make back in the mid-1970s. Who
knows? Maybe the attorneys got
distracted arguing over the shape
of the table on which the deal was
made.
Only one thing is clear at this
point. General Westmoreland lost
the battle. That’s disappointing
news for those of us who backed
him both in spirit and with our
hard-earned money. It signifies
that you really can't fight City Hall
— or any other mega-buck
bureaucracy — and expect to win in
the end. Even if you crap on their
doorstep, they’ve got the money
and power to make you clean it up.
If there’s any good news for Amer¬
ica’s Vietnam Veterans in the CBS
victory, it may be proof that the
politicians never really intended
for us to win the war. In the end our
combat tactics were driven by con¬
sideration for public opinion more
than any desire to defeat the
enemy. Even Westmoreland admit¬
ted he did not want to include high¬
er figures for certain marginally
effective enemy formations in his
reports to President Johnson be¬
cause he feared they could be easily
misinterpreted and might have a
negative public-relations effect.
That does not explain why West¬
moreland could find
vindication in a CBS
statement that it re¬
spected the general’s
faithful service to the
country and had not
intended to suggest
that he had been dis¬
loyal in performing his
duty “as he saw it.”
There’s the face¬
saving phrase and an
indicator that Westy
could see no light at
the end of the judicial
tunnel. In a real war — one in which
the battlefield situation is the
primary concern and political con¬
siderations are secondary — a com¬
mander’s duty is clear. He needs to
win. How he interprets his duty
beyond that makes no difference.
Taken to task, the commander who
can’t decisively prove his only con¬
siderations were victory and the
welfare of his troops backs off in a
hurry.
He may also be forced to retreat if
his planned supporting arms fail. I
think Westmoreland suffered in
this regard from inadequate repre¬
sentation. His attorneys seemed to
Continued on page 100
Publisher
Robert K. Brown
Executive Editor
Dale A. Dye
Senior Editor
Wm. B. Guthrie
Associate Editors
Dale Andrade James L. Pate
Assistant Editor
Kim McMichael
Executive Assistant
Suzanne Westgaard
Washington Bureau Chief
Jim Graves
Foreign Correspondents
David Mills Steve Salisbury
Art Director
Craig Nunn
Art/Production Coordinator
Angie Green
Art Assistant
Margaret Martinesky
Production Assistant
Gretchen Nightingale
Advertising Production
Martha Monkman
Advertising Sales
Shirley Raley
Typographers
Thomas E. Vivrett
Eileen Bernard
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Military Small Arms Paramedic Operations
Peter 6. Kokalis Dr. John Peters
Small Arms Explosives Demolitions
Jake Jarras John Donovan
Aviation Military Affairs
Dana Drenkowski Alexander McColl
Sniping Countersniping Military History
Jim Leatherwood William Brooks
Law Enforcement Unconventional Operations
Evan Marshall Brig, Gen. Heine Aderholt
Vietnam Veterans Affairs James P. Monaghan
Col Chuck Allen Harry I. Claflin
Soviet Analyst Central America
David C. Isby Jay Mallin
Omega Group Ltd.:
President
Robert K. Brown
Executive Assistant
Zada L. Johnson
Vice President, Publications
Kevin E. Steele
Vice President, Operations
David A. Graham
Advertising Manager
Joan K. Steele
Marketing Director
Ratph BicknelS
Production Director
Cynthia E.D. Kite
Circulation Director
John Ross Williams
Circulation Specialist
Cherry Chavez
Office Manager
T.A. Greene
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/SUBSCRIPTION PROB¬
LEMS: Six weeks notice is required on all changes
of address. Please Include current mailing-label
information with all correspondence. SOLDIER
OF FORTUNE. Subscription Department, P.O.
Box 348, Mt. MorTis. 1L 61054. Phone: (815) 734-
4151.
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (ISSN 0145-67S4/USPS 120-510) is published monthly by
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Magazine, Inc,. Boulder, Colorado. Controlled Circulation
Postage Paid at Boulder, CO. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to SOLDIER OF
FORTUNE, Subscription Department, P.O. Box348- Mt Morris, FL 61054. Subscription
rates for twelve monthly issues: $26.00 — U.S.A,, Canada, Mexico. All other countries,
$33.00. Special domestic and foreign rates on request U.S. RINDS ONLY. Single-Issue
Price — U.S.. $3.00; United Kingdom, 2.40; Canada, $3.50.
CONTRIBUTORS: Manuscripts, photographs, drawings are submitted at the contribu¬
tor’s own risk. Material should be mailed to SOLDIER OF FORTUNE. P.O. Box 693,
Copyright 1985 by SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Magazine. Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Boulder, CO 80306, and cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage.
Any material accepted is subject to such revision as is necessary to meet the editorial
requirements of SOF. AU manuscripts must be typed double-spaced. All photographs
should be credited and be accurately identified. Payment will be made at rates current at
time of publication. NOTICE: SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Magazine is a magazine of
national and international distribution. There may be products for which sale, posses¬
sion or interstate transportation may be restricted, prohibited or subject to special
licensing requirements in your state. Purchasers should consult the local law-
enforcement authorities in their area.
2 SOL III Fit OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
JULY/1985
VOL. 10 NO. 7
SOVIET BG 15
David Isby
Great looks in grenade
launchers 26
BUSH BOBBIES
Mick Doyle
British South Africa
Police 32
HIND HUNTERS
James L. Pate
SOF trains Nicaraguan
freedom fighters 38
HANOI HITS
HARD AND
HOLDS
David Mills and Dale
Andrade
Update on Cambodia’s
dry-season offensive 46
WHEN
SHADOWS
SHOOT BACK
Peter G. Kokalis
SOF in a Salvadoran ‘A’
camp 54
GETTING OUT
OF A GUN JAM
Emanuel Kapelsohn
Avoiding semiauto
stoppages 60
PLEIKU
PUNCH-UP
Ralph Zumbro
Armor assault saves
Pleiku 64
Page 46
MORE ON
SKORZENY
Blaine Taylor
Germany’s classic
commando 70
COVER: With a vigilance bom of centuries of border
violations, the Thai military has responded to the
present Vietnamese threat with specially trained troops
like the Thai Rangers. They keep watch over the
simmering situation on the Cambodian border that
constantly threatens to spill over into Thai territory.
SOF’s coverage of the Cambodian border tension begins
on p. 46. Photo: David Mills
Bulletin Board 4
FLAK 7
I Was There 10
Combat Weaponcraft 15
Full Auto 16
In Review 18
Battle Blades 23
Adventure Quartermaster 24
Supply Locker 102
Classified 107
Advertisers Index 112
JULY 85
SOLDI Kit OF FORTUNE 3
S OF
DECADE...
They said the second
issue would never make
the stands but — 10 years
and 93 issues later — Bob
Brown’s bastard child,
Soldier of Fortune
Magazine, is still with us,
informing, infiltrating and
outraging most of the
civilized (and some of the
uncivilized) world.
Our magazine has
continued to grow in
popularity and credibility.
It still leads the league
among a rash of imitators
and is read regularly by
some of the most
influential and
well-informed Americans.
From Moscow and Tel
Aviv to Saudi Arabia and
Nicaragua, many of the
world’s movers and
shakers read SOF. We
are extremely popular in
the PX where professional
fighting men look for
reading material and we
rank right up there with
the girlie magazines in
many barracks worldwide.
We’ve been censored,
ridiculed or banned in
New Zealand, Australia,
Great Britain and
Guatemala, but that
hasn’t hurt us. You can’t
find a copy of SOF in the
USSR — unless you’re
KGB or a general in the
Red Army — yet men
have risked prison to
smuggle Soldier of
Fortune into
Czechoslovakia and
Poland.
That makes us
something spedah a
phenomenon in American
magazine publishing. You
can find out why — if
you can find a copy of
our August 1985 10th
Anniversary Special issue.
Subscribers will get their
copy early, but our
blockbuster special will be
on newsstands in
mid-July. We’d
recommend you get there
early.
BULLETIN,.
BOARD
TOP: Comandante Gustavo, CO of Echo Co. —
the F.D.N.’s Special Ops company — receives
SOF’s edition of the CIA manual (English
translation published in the Febrary 1985 SOF)
from Dale Dye. ABOVE: SOF staffers continue
posting reward notices inside Nicaragua and in
resistance bases outside the country, soliciting
Nicaraguans who want to earn $100,000 by
helping their country. Photos: James L. Pate
N O GUNS ON
PEOPLE EXPRESS...
SOFers, be warned. People Express Airlines,
contrary to both federal regulations and the practice
of other airlines, will not permit firearms to be
checked in baggage and X-ray baggage before
check-in. According to the National Rifle Association
(NRA), many otherwise law-abiding citizens have
already been arrested for attempting to board an
aircraft with firearms, based on People Express
firearms policy.
A class action suit has already been filed against
People Express in the U.S. District Court in
Alexandria. Va. The suit is supported by the NRA
Firearms Civil Rights Legal Defense Fund, Dept.
SOF, 1230 16th St. N.W.. Washington, D.C.
20036, and all contributions to the fund are
tax-deductible. Anyone (not just NRA members)
denied transportation or arrested because of People
Express’ anti-gun policies should contact the Office
of the General Counsel, National Rifle Association.
1600 Rhode Island Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.
20036. And don’t forget, your membership fees for
joining the NRA are your best-spent gun-law
lobbying dollars.
D ellums
CANNED...
Liberal Congressman Ron
Dellums (D-Calif.), known for radical
stands on a number of issues, was
one of the first celebrities to be
arrested earlier this year for crossing
the barricades placed 500 feet away
from the South African Embassy
during a protest over racial policies.
It was all photo flashes, fingerprints,
mugshots, grandstanding and free
publicity for the Berkeley, Calif.,
politico ... up to the point where
the D.C. cops clapped him in the
lock-up with common criminals.
Perhaps expecting to be carried
about the cell on the grateful
shoulders of other black men in the
slammer, Dellums was surprised
when the residents tore into him
with heated questions on his
drum-beating for African blacks. It
seems they wanted to know —
minus the political rhetoric — why
he wasn’t carrying on with such
abandon on behalf of American
blacks who had problems right here
at home.
Where were their jobs? Where
was the housing? Why wasn’t
Dellums doing something about
that?
It all got rather hot, according to
our Washington correspondent Jim
Graves who winds up with the
report that Dellums finally showed
his solidarity with his fellow black
prisoners by asking for — and
getting — a solitary cell.
We should all be blessed with that
kind of courage to back our
convictions.
F reedom
fighters...
Afghan Freedom Fighter Fund
(P.O. Box 693, Boulder, CO 80306)
donors: Robert A. Burnside, M.A.
Gilmore, Kenneth E. Thompson Jr.,
R. Dale Mitchell, Randall W. Brown,
A. Gargiulo, HT2, Dick Banko, John
H. Klein, Warren H. Carroll, William
W. Idler, Gary R. Donnelly, Scott
Loehning, Karl W. Werner, Frank
Luyster, The China Bull, Paul
Nichols, Robert F. Cairo, David
Hunt, Edward A. Denton, Peter F.
Merenda, Bryan Shank, Rodney W.
Heier, H.H. Beard, Col. Delmas V.
Lippard, Charles R. Baker, Robert J.
Franzius, John P. & Catherine M.
Continued on page 100
4 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
41 Pineapple"
H Hand
Grenade
tjfi] Thte grenade is completely
inert and harmless, but looks
HHp tike the real thing. Comes with
detachable firing lever.
Order No. 1721 GO 56.95
1 0-Shot Tear Gas Revolver. Fires S-.22
caliber tear gas or blanks in seconds.
No. 260110 Blue §^©fT Sale $8.95
No. 260120 Chrome 2*0*9-Sale $9.95
J .22 Caliber Tear Gas Automatic. Fires
6-,22 caliber tear gas or blanks as fast
as you can pull the trigger.
No. 260510 Blue Sale $ 9.95
Mr. 260520 Chrome Sale $10.95
^22 Cal. Tear Gas Cartridges (10)
: Order No. 260202 $2.95
.22 Cal. Extra-Loud Blanks. (1001
Order No. 260204 9 Sale $2.95
K The Bionic Ear. Extremely sensitive
pointable, electronic listening device
the size of a flashlight. Amplifies sounds
and passes them on to the user through
stereo headphones which are included.
Warning: this device is not intended as an
eavesdropping device. Used extensively
by hunters, bird watchers, security and
law enforcement personnel. It can hear a
whisper at 100 yds., feet scuffling in a
warehouse at 200 ft., a car doer shutting
at 5 blocks and a coon dog on the trail
up to 2 miles away. Uses 9 volt battery.
Order No. 310300 $69,95
G U.S.A.F. L-2B Flight Jacket Official Air
Force Lightzone (Lightweight issue).
= r* rwiiKicwu Sage Green with International Orange
Up For Fast Lwavery || n j ng 10 o% polyester with knit collar, cuffs
Credit Card Orders an( j w aistband. Two inner and two outer
Mastercard and Visa only pockets plus zipper cigarette pocket on
■ | Tni I CDCC teft s[eeve - Sizes: S, M, L, XL.
LL lULL rnCE Order No.012900 Sate $34.95
D Pachmayr Stain¬
less Steel .45
Magazine. The most
precisely manufac¬
tured, fastest action
dip you'll ever own.
Has custom rounded
follower and comes
with combat bumper.
No. 193110 $19.95
V The UUirr-abe for Your AR-7 Newi
W- MltnhTptl AR-GO ADCjettory Package.
Brack €cao? nq~- nyipri c-intcr*rip end
nicSfel-ptelfrd ^eel lelescoping bw:ft*&cb-
LuCkU Open 3*xt dtesnd Cornpacl —26"
rj\«rail *h.= n closed Regular tfpen
LJnlqvC ■dosign grip will house original 1<>
remind maqaiif^ uenNIeted E tie nd cove* s
50% of hD" ml 5nd allows conhnuous shgol ■
n£ even %vl ih. hc-i nnrai THSt: liL-cessory re¬
duces avert K weight Ly appro* 1 rj nourtd.
Order No. 242000 $69.95
AR-7 50-rd. Mitchell Drum Magazine.
Designed for easy loading, reliable func¬
tioning and durability. Full 50 round
capacity. Markings on the back keep you
Informed of the rounds.
Order No. 193300 $29.95
Mitchell 50-rd. Mag. tor 10/22 Rifle.
Order No. 193000 $29.95
Browning Hi-Power 9mm Magazine 13 shot.
Order No. 191620 $15.00
AR-15/M-16. 30-shot Magazine.
Order No. 191220 $7-95
M-1 Carbine. 30-shot Magazine Blue Steel,
Order No. 190420 $ 5.00
Uzi 9mm. 32-shot Magazine.
Order No. 192620 $14.95
New Parellex* Magazines.
20-shot Blue Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 190720 $9.95
30-shot Blue Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 19C820 $12.95
40-shot Blue Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 191020 $24.95
20-shot Stainless Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 220600 $14,95
30-shot Stainless Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 220601 $24.95
40-shot Stainless Magazine for Mini-14*.
Order No. 220602 $29.95
| Folding Trench Knife. The 3^" stainless
*- steel blade folds conveniently into the
unique knuckle handle for protection and
safety. The 5" steel handle has a decora¬
tive inset. Length open— 8)4".
Order No. 172010 $*9*5 Sate $9.95
M Ufeknife Commando. The best survival
knife there is at any price. Razor-sharp
6" blade constructed from 440C stainless ^
steel heat treated to RH57-58. Aircraft
aluminum hollow handle is waterproof.
Contains N.A.T.O. wire saw, lifeboat
matches, survival fish hooks, assorted split
shot, 20 ft. of 10 lb. test line. 6 ft. snare
utility wire; needles; sutures; water purifi¬
cation tablets. Black leather belt sheath,
thongs and sharpening stone. Jeweled
compass built into the cap. 12" overall.
Order No. 1722SO Sale $44.95
Ordering information? To order by mail, use coupon
or separate sheet. Wail payment or credit card
information. For questions or information call
1-312-766-1150. To order by phone use
Mastercard or Visa. Call 1-800-323-3233.
B G.I. M-65 Field Jacket The latest U.S.
Army issue field jacket made of 50%
nylon and 50% cotton with Quarpel water
repnliency. Features a zip-in hood, heavy-
duty front zipper plus snap closures, draw¬
strings at the waist and bottom of the jacket.
Extra room in the shoulders for complete
freedom of movement. Sizes: S, M, L, XL.
O.D. Green
Order No. 0107G0 Sate $39.95
Woodland Como
Order No. 0107WO Sate $39.95
G.l. M-65 Jacket Liner. Cold weather liner
that turns the M-65 into an all weather
jacket. Sizes: S. M. L, XL.
Order No. Q107A0 $19-35
f. Mlni-14 Pouch |C] ly. i"
U Set. G.l. nylon mag, S| '
pouch with 3-30
rd. clips for the Mim-14
No. M14S $39.95 ^
AFM5/M-16 Pouch
Set Same as above.
No. M16S $24.95
E SIx Pocket Bush Short. A popular style
for campers and hikers. Made of the
tough, durable material you find in regular
fatigues with triple needle side and yoke
seams. In front there's two flapped, patch
pockets and 2 slash pockets. In back there
are 2 patch pockets with flaps. Sizes: 24-46.
Order No. 3404G0 O.D. Greerl $15.95
Order No. 3404K0 Khaki $15.95
Order No. 3404C0 Camouflage $15.95
F UUte Black Box. WARNING: this device
is not to be used for surveillance! Auto¬
matically starts recorder when telephone
is picked up. Records entire conversation
on both sides. Automatically stops re¬
corder when phone is hung up! It can be
attached anywhere along the line. Plugs
into ANY recorder Causes absolutely
no interference or noise on the phone.
MINIATURE! 2" x 2 ,r x
Alligator clip hook-up
Order No. 310101 Sale $24.95
Modular plug-in hook-up
Order No. 310102 $££*3 Sale $24.95
pt. 419 1285 MARK STREET
NSENVILLE, IL 60106
:ription/size/color price
NUMBER
CATALOG SI .00
FREE WITH ORDER □ SEND CATALOG
□ CHECK ENCLOSED □ MONEY ORDER
CHARGE MY. □ MASTERCARD □ VISA
SUB TOTAL
SHIPPING/
HANDLING
The Black Book Of Dirty Tricks. "Impro¬
vised Munitions Handbook" is the most
sought after (until now impossible to
obtain) Army Manual. Includes chapters
on: Mines & Grenades. Small Arms
Weapons & Ammo. Mortars & Rockets.
Incendiary Devices. Fuses. Ignition &
Delay Mechanisms. Plus how to manufac¬
ture Rocket Launchers. Pistols, Shotguns,
and Recoiliess Rifles from easy to obtain
materials. And much more! New expanded
edition! Limited number available!
ORDER NOW! Order No. BB $10.00
EXP. DATE
CREOIT
CARD NO. .
TOTAL
ADDRESS
.STATE.
For'mr 24-page
dolor interne;
smi S3 10 ;
Heckler & Koch f htc.
14601 Loo Road
Chantilly , Virginia 22021
Tel 7Q3-631-2W}
In a world of compromise, some men
In a survival situation,
there's no time to worry
about how a weapon wifi
perform. That's why Elite
American and European
special .operations forces
rely on firearms made by
Heckler & Koch,
Tlie HK 94 Semi-
Automatic Carbine is
a direct offspring of
Heckler Sc Koch's renowned
family ofMP5 Submachine
Guns. Designed and built
with only one tiling in
mind: uncompromising
performance, Rugged.
Reliable. Rifle-like accuracy
to 100 meters. The delayed
toller-lock bolt system
reduces recoil to keep the
weapon on target. And
HK's revolutionary scope
mown ting system gtiarantces
diat you're still zeroed-
in every time you mourn
your scope.
Compare the HK 94 to
the UZl or any ptiicT semi¬
automatic carbine on the
market. Yotflll appreciate
the difference between
carrying an ordinary weap¬
on, and owning the most
uncompromising firearm in
tile world
S ubscribers
TAKE NOTE...
Sirs:
We have just moved and
need our address changed
for our subscription to
Soldier of Fortune.
Brent Mowrer
Gallup, N.M.
Thank you, Mr Mowrer,
for providing us your new
and old addresses. Sub¬
scribers should note, how¬
ever, that in addition to this
information they should in¬
clude an old address label
from SOF. This has com¬
puter information necessary
to make the address
change more quickly. Even
with the label, readers
should allow six to eight
weeks for the change to
take effect Unfortunately
for Mr. Mowrer, unless he
has notified the post office
that he will pay the cost to
forward newspapers and
magazines, he may miss an
issue or two. We regret that
this is beyond our control.
So readers, be sure and in¬
clude an old address label
when notifying us of a
change in your address.
Thanks.
T hanks from
LEBANESE
CHRISTIANS...
Sirs:
It was with great pleasure
that we read your article
about Lebanon (“Middle
East Update”) in the
January ’85 issue of SOF.
It is comforting to know
that there are people who
still care about the
Christian community in
Lebanon, and its fight for
life and freedom.
Nasri Diab
Arlington. Virginia
We are very concerned
with the ongoing problems
in the Middle East and will
continue to keep our
editorial focus on that area.
You have indicated we hit
the mark and that’s very
gratifying.
FLAK
ISSING
PERSON...
Sirs:
While in Vietnam in 1968, 1 was
recommended for the Bronze Star Medal, along
with two other soldiers. Since we were to rotate
back to the States before they were presented,
we were told the medals were to be forwarded
to our next duty stations. Well, the paperwork
was lost, and after years of arguing with the
Army, writing President Reagan, and contacting
my Congressman, this is my last hope. If I can
locate the officer that recommended us for the
medal and have him verify it with the Army,
perhaps we can receive our decorations after 17
years. That officer was: former 1st Lt. David
Fransen, S-2, 4/31, 196th LT INF BD,
VIETNAM, 1968.
Terrence Janas
2615 Maple
Franklin Park, Illinois 60131
(312) 455-4959
We hope this links you up with the people you
are seeking to document your ‘ lost” medal rec¬
ommendation. Obviously it’s something you de¬
serve and should have.
T hanks from
FREE AFGHANISTAN...
Sirs:
Thank you for your generous gift
of walkie-talkies and knives. As you
are aware, these items are
desperately needed in the field and
will surely be put to good use. We
have come to America to find
generous people and organizations
like yours who can sympathize with
our cause and aid us in our struggle.
We hope to ultimately secure the
anti-aircraft weapons that we must
have to destroy the Soviet Mi-24
Hind helicopters.
Commander Wali Khan
Brigadier Rahmatullah Safi
Committee for a Free
Afghanistan
Washington, DC
You can rely on the staff of Sol¬
dier of Fortune to help when and
where we can. Your fight is our
fight. Our best wishes in your efforts
to obtain anti-aircraft weapons.
N ews from
THE PENTAGON...
Sirs:
I have just retired from the Office
of the Secretary of Defense and you
may be pleased to know that I have
passed to senior Defense officials,
several of your articles and even
recently included a couple of
advertisements in a briefing book.
The articles on laws of war (“Merc
Work,” December ’84, “More Mercs
and the Law,” April ’85) were
well-done and well-researched. No
one knows better than me, as I was
the one who did most of the
negotiation on that most complex
item. Under those meaningless
clauses, every uniformed man or
woman was a war criminal.
Dwayne S. Anderson
Vienna. Virginia
Thanks for feeding SOF info along
to the hierarchy. We were aware
that much of our technical intelli¬
gence and situation reports from
around the world got before the
eyes of Defense leaders, but we
weren’t sure whether they ran down
to the Pentagon newsstand and
plunked down their bucks or some¬
one fed them the info. That question
is now answered.
JULY 85
SOLMRR OF FORTUNE 7
D irector
apologizes...
Sirs:
A great deal of thanks
are in order for the superb
cover story of
‘Terminator” (SOF,
December ’84), as it was
the best single piece of
coverage done on the
picture, and certainly the
one closest to my heart.
However, 1 owe you and
your readers an apology on
behalf of the film. The
article was directed towards
the concept that
“Hollywood” is finally
taking a responsible
approach towards
on-screen accuracy with
weapons, yet smack in the
middle of “Terminator” we
see a running fire fight with
police-model Remington
12-gauge pumps that fired
14 rounds each in one
scene with no reloading.
Blame it on editorial
license. I bent the rules in
favor of the drama, but I’ve
decided that such license is
harmful to the enjoyment
of those in the audience
who know their weapons. I
will endeavor to be as
rigorously realistic as
possible in future action
scenes.
James Cameron
Director,
“Terminator”
We're not sure you need
to beat your breast so
hard. We have received a
lot of reader raves regard¬
ing the movie and our
analysis of it On the
whole , the discrepancies in
the shotgun sequence were
not so bothersome. We
loved the movie.
L atin fears
in u.s....
Sirs:
Congratulations on “Who Killed Pedro
Chamorro?” (SOF, March ’85.) I was living in
Costa Rica at the time of the assassination. At
that time I told my wife of my suspicions about
this incident, which ran parallel to Dr. John
Padgett’s report. Although Somoza was one of
the most hated Latin dictators, 1 personally
considered him a lot more greedy than
bloodthirsty, and did not consider Chamorro’s
murder the type of act that was Somoza’s style.
Keep up the good reporting. Despite what the
popular media and leftist propagandists would
have the public believe, most of the Latins want
democracy, not Marxist dictators. As I still have
relatives in Central America, please withhold my
name and hometown.
An SOF reader in Oregon
Thanks for the kind words . SOF has followed
the situation in Nicaragua very closely since 1979
and will continue to keep the spotlight on Sandi-
nista tyranny until freedom wins out in that
country.
O LYMPIC
KUDOS...
Sirs:
Thank Colonel Brown and your magazine staff
for two years of support for my efforts at the
1984 Winter Olympics at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
(“SOF Lends Hand to Olympic Hopeful,”
November ’83). Yours was the only Boulder
organization to follow talk of support and interest
with action, and I owe my Olympic season to
your help. The Olympics were typically messed
up with only a good relay leg to show. But
afterwards, at Mittenwald at the
NATO-sponsored German International Biathlon
Championships — where the same Olympic field
was assembled — I had two top-ten results and
a very fine relay.
Don Nielsen
U.S. Olympic Biathlon Team
You're welcome. The SOF team considers it
an honor and a privilege to help the Olympic
cause and a fine competitor.
A uthor asks
for HELP...
Sirs:
I’m starting a third proposed book
on Vietnam. 1 hope to chronicle the
activities of the 1st Marine Division
and Americal Division in the Arizona
Valley-Que Son Mountain-Hiep Due
Valley area, from 7 June to 7
September 1969. During this period
the Marines were involved in several
rough battles in the Arizona, then
shifted south into the Que Sons to
assist the Army, which was fighting
the bloody bunker-to-bunker action
in the Hiep Due Valley. Involved
units included 2/1, 3/21, 4/31 and
1/46 Infantry, 196th Light Infantry
Brigade, Americal Division; plus 1/5,
2/5, 1/7 and 2/7 Marines; 1st Recon
Battalion; 1st Tank Battalion; 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing and various
smaller units.
1 would greatly appreciate hearing
from any vet of these operations as
soon as possible so we can arrange
an interview. Call or write me
anytime at: 220 Kingsville Court,
Webster Groves, MO 63119.
(314)961-7577.
Keith William Nolan
Author, Battle for Hue: Tet
1968
V IETNAM VETS’
MEMORIAL...
Sirs:
Your article concerning the new
memorial (“From Wailing Wall To
Hallowed Ground,” SOF, March
’85) was outstanding. I probably will
never be able to visit it personally,
but the pictures are just as moving
to me. My chest gets heavy and
tears swell up in my eyes. Those
three troopies remind me of the
three friends that died in ’69 and
’70. To all who served in Nam and
those who are now replacing us —
keep up the good work. We old
soldiers will back you up all the way.
Ricardo Castillo
Boling, Texas
Thanks for taking the time to write
and for the kind comments regard¬
ing our coverage of the dedication of
the new Vietnam Veteran’s Memo¬
rial. We felt it was about time those
who served got an appropriate com¬
memoration. *
8 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
EYEWITNESS
HISTORY
OFTHE ^ .
VIETNAM WAR,
MIDDLE
EAST
>TET 196 B
I ® ® ...Mi AM NOIAM
Gentlemen
INFANTRY
IN
VIETNAM
mMW
ADISTANT
CHALLENGE
theUS.
ARMED
FORCES
SURVIVAL
MANUAL
SBOUKITY
THOSE
GALLANT
MEN
On Trial in Vietnam
HEROES
AMBUSH
aw* BIRD
iwSTORYsts
U5NAYY5C
CELEBRATED
CARRIERS
FIGHTERS
RACIFICWAR
EDWIN RHOTT
PELELIU
Myra Mad J hetvot)
TEtT t ISJA'M|
mmmm
1944
PUS ANY 3 BOSKS UR 98fS h BE rsh,p
Here’s how the Club Plan works: You’ll get 3 books for
only 98$ plus shipping and handling and your FREE book
and Vietnam map—when accepted as a member We
reserve the right to reject any application. However, once
accepted, if you are not completely satisfied with your
introductory books, return them within 10 days at our
expense. Your membership will be cancelled and you will
ow nothing. The free book and maps are yours to keep
in any case.
Huge selection: As a Club member, you’ll have over 350
titles to choose from—a tremendous variety of the very
best military books in print. Many feature rarely seen pho¬
tos, illustrations and maps. Many books are difficult to
find anywhere else.
How you save money: The Club offers its own complete
hardbound editions (sometimes altered in size to fit spe¬
cial presses). Club editions save you up to 30% off pub¬
lishers’ hardcover edition prices. A shipping and handling
charge is added to each shipment.
Club magazine: Enjoy the luxury of at-home shopping
with your free Club magazine. About every 4 weeks (14
times a year) you receive the Club magazine describing
coming Selections) and Alternates. In addition, up to
4 times a year, you may receive offers of special Selec¬
tions, always at discounts off publishers’ prices. If you
want the featured Selection(s), do nothing—shipment will
be made automatically. If you prefer an Alternate—or no
book at all—indicate this on the order form and return
it by the date specified. You’ll have at least 10 days to
decide. If you have less than 10 days, and you receive an
unwanted Selection, you may return it at our expense
and owe nothing.
The choice is always yours: Your only obligation is to
take just 4 books at regular low Club prices during the
next 2 years. You may resign any time after purchasing
your 4 books, or continue to enjoy Club membership
for as long as you like.
fSoft cover 1 EipilcH sex, violence and/or language:
PLUS
FULL COLOR
19"x 25"
VIETNAM MAP
FREE
with membership.
j~Military Book Club®
Dept. AS-067, Garden City, NY 11530
Yes, please accept my membership application and send me the 3 books
marked belw plus my free book and Vietnam map. Bill me only 98* plus
shipping and handling for the three books. I agree to the Club plan pre¬
sented in this ad, and understand that I need buy just 4 more books
at regular kw Club prices ary time I want during the next 2 years.
No-rlsk guarantee: If not delighted after examining my 3 selections, I
may return the books within 10 days at Club expense. My membership will
be cancelled and I will owe nothing. No matter what I decide, I may keep
my free book and map
Free book
#0232
71
Note: If you already own Battle For Hue, please choose another title for
your free book.
Mr
Mrs.
Ms.
(please print)
Address
Ad* No.
HHy
Stalfi
Zip
Members accepted in USA and Canada only. Canadian members
^serviced from Canada where offer Is slightly different 32-M028
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 9
THE NEWM1
THOMPSON
semiautomatic
We are proud to present
this well-engineered Semi-
Auto version of the world's
first and most famous
military assault rifle. The
Thompson Ml was used
victoriously in battles
throughout the world, in¬
scribing its place for all
time as a legend among
military firearms. We offer
the same attention to
craftsmanship today
that made the original
so highly regarded. It
is truly authentic, down
to the side cocking
lever. The frame and
receiver are milled
from solid steel and
the finish is our own
special military flat
black, finely comple¬
mented by deep, rich
finished walnut stocks.
SEND $2.00 FOR
COLOR CATALOG
(914) 679-7225
Box SF-7,
West Hurley,
N.Y. 12491
I WAS THERE
Ipp
^RUSTLER’S REVENGE
by Harold T. Nelson
Viet Cong and NVA attacks in 1968
threw many young Foreign Service
Officers into a variety of roles in small\
isolated districts of Vietnam. Despite
their officially civilian status, they were
sometimes forced by circumstances to
become platoon leaders and company
commanders, as well as advisers in in¬
fantry tactics and helicopter ops. Dis¬
trict teams had to do everything from
medical assistance and gathering in¬
telligence to adjusting artillery. All that
was when they weren’t busy as lin¬
guists, construction experts , social
workers and election commissioners.
Harold T. Nelson found himself sol¬
diering as a District Senior Adviser for a
month while his military boss was on
leave.
\/lETNAM, in 1969, was a crime-
free society. If you didn’t believe it you
could just check the statistics. They
were compiled from reports that attrib¬
uted any outburst of violence to VC
and any unidentified body as VC killed
by government forces. The huge
MACV computer complex recognized
and categorized all objects and events
in military terms. There was nothing in
the program concerning civil crimes so
there was no civil crime according to
American records. And then there was
the real world.
In March 1969,1 became the civilian
Deputy Senior Adviser in an isolated
district of the heavily contested
Mekong Delta. The mission was to in¬
tegrate the U.S. military and civilian
agencies which supported the Viet T
namese pacification program. Advisers
Water buffalo were a valuable
commodity In Vietnam. Photo: DOD
(Marine Corps)
and Vietnamese did have trouble
understanding each other, but the real
language and cultural barrier was be¬
tween men in the field and the comput¬
er at IV Corps HQ.
Three days after I was appointed to
fill in for my boss while he was on
leave, my first crisis arose. The MACV
computer spat out a report of a sinister
“VC assassination incident” in our
area. In a message which I read over
morning coffee, IV Corps headquar¬
ters demanded a full report on the inci¬
dent. Neither the local American team
nor the Vietnamese district staff officers
knew anything about it.
A long, dusty jeep ride brought us to
the site of the alleged VC assassination.
It rapidly became apparent that an old
man had been killed while guarding a
pair of water buffalo. The buffalo were
missing and for some reason the village
chief had reported it directly to Prov¬
ince headquarters. They forwarded
the report to IV Corps which resulted in
the demand for information on what
the computer decided was a military
crime.
District and national police officers
joined me at the scene of the crime. We
trudged through the paddies until we
finally found the victim. A very old man
had been pinned to the ground with an
old French bayonet about the length of
a short sword.
The sun had now been up for over
Continued on page 98
10 SOLIHEH OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Whether the situation is this critical or not, todays
adventure demands Thunderbolt, the most innovative
compound crossbow ever designed.
Available in the new skeletal stock model,
Thunderbolt stands alone with devastating power,
rock-hard reliability, and thanks to its patented
“Extended” trigger mechanism, a balance
that makes it so sweet to shoot.
If you are looking for that “special” weapon,
Thunderbolt is your only real choice.
BARNETT - Our name means adventure
k c.ateioy of aW Barnett products.
U for oss'Ntft? and fondling to:
lett 3riternatinnal 3nc
SO^ • ODESSA. FLORIDA 33556 • :613 ? 920-2241
SIXTH ANNUAL SOF
CONVENTION
AND COMBAT WEAPONS
MILITARY EXPO
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE will
hold its sixth annual
convention at the Sahara
Hotel and Casino, Las
Vegas, Nevada, 18-22
September 1985.
Preregistration fee is $100.
This provides free admission
to all seminars, Combat
Weapons Military Expo, the
banquet and all convention
activities, with the exception
of optional events. All
conventioneers must
preregister. Write SOF
CONVENTION 85, P.O. Box
693, Boulder, CO 80306. For
hotel reservations, call the
Sahara Hotel and Casino at
(800) 634-6666 or the El
Rancho at (702) 796-2222.
COMBAT WEAPONS MILITARY
EXPO — Weapons, equipment
and militaria vendors will display
their wares on 20-22 September.
Get a close-up, hands-on view of
everything from aircraft to SCUBA
gear, ammo to armor, and starlight
scopes to IR camouflage. For in¬
formation contact William Weber,
17100 Norwalk Blvd., Suite 116,
Cerritos, CA 90701.
FIREPOWER DEMONSTRATION
— SOFs weapons-demo team will
once again stage the rock ’n’ roll
show on the firing line. Small-arms
expert Peter Kokalis will scatter the
sand with machine guns of nearly
every description. And blast-master
John Donovan will demonstrate his
explosive toys.
SEMINARS — For the less adven¬
turous, SOF will offer a fascinating
schedule of seminars. Speakers will
conduct information exchanges on
such topics as knife fighting, auto¬
matic weapons, sniping, the French
Foreign Legion, Afghanistan, Central
America and the Middle East, And
better military intel than you’ll get
anywhere else without a security
clearance. Free to conventioneers —
$25 for non-conventioneers.
THREE-GUN MATCH —
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE’S action-
packed Three-Gun Match, a world-
class competition involving skill with
pistol, rifle and shotgun will be held
at the Desert Sportsman Rifle and
Pistol Club, 18-20 September. En¬
trance is by invitation only and com¬
petitors must write for an applica¬
tion. Send SASE to Bill Brooks,
4901 Indian trail, Wilmington, NC
28403.
PUGIL-STICK TOURNAMENT —
Gather every evening at poolside to
see bloodthirsty bayonet fighters
swing at each other to XO Dale
Dye’s exhortations. Five dollars per
game will put you in the running.
Sign up at the convention.
OPERATION HEADHUNTER —
Tackle rough desert terrain with this
strenuous five-mile military obstacle
course. Headhunters must negotiate
the course by running, climbing, and
rappelling with seven five-pound
sandbags on their backs and only
with the help of map, compass and
knife. Limit 70 conventioneers. Only
the fit need apply. For information
send a large SASE to: ALECTO
Group, P.O, Box 253, Elkhom, NE
68022.
SCUBA CLASS — SOFs
underwater-demolitions expert John
Donovan will conduct SCUBA class¬
es for the beginning diver. All you
need is fins, mask and snorkel —
we’ll provide the rest. Contact John
Donovan, P.O. Box 486, Danver, IL
61732 and be PADI certified.
RAPPELLING SEMINARS — Pro¬
fessional wall-crawler Fritz Borchardt
will once again be leaping and bound¬
ing through his exciting rappelling
classes. And for those who partici¬
pated last year and couldn’t get
enough, a tactical-rappelling class is
being offered. Contact Fritz at
P.O.Box 548, Nederland, CO 80466.
Please send SASE.
PARACHUTING COURSE —
Would-be winged warriors be
warned! The Phantom Airborne Di¬
vision will be conducting parachuting
courses concurrently with the Con¬
vention. Two-day course for novices
and returning jumpers. For informa¬
tion contact Cliff Albright, Phantom
Division, P.O. Box 22505,
Memphis, TN 38122.
Knifeco P.O. Box 5271, Hialeah Lakes, FL 33014
The Ultimate Survival Kmle/Kit
This deluxe survival knife is the perfect companion
for hunters, fishermen, campers and just to have
around the house.
Quality features include 6” razor sharp blade,
waterproof 4‘/i" aluminum hollow handle, (avail¬
able in camouflage or black) with liquid filled com¬
pass, leather sheath with sharpening stone.
Survival Kit includes: lO matches, 20"
fishhooks, sinkers, nylon line for fishing,
2 large sewing needles can be used for
use and to form
HOW TO ORDER INFORMATION:
TO ORDER BY MAIL, USE COUPON OR SEPARATE SHEET.
MAIL PAYMENT OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION WITH
EXPIRATION DATE. .CARD NUMBER AND SIGNATURE.
Pleas© send me :
□ 1 Survival Knife @ $19.95 plus $3.00 for shipping 8c handling.
□ 2 Survival Knives @ $38.00 plus $3.00 for shipping 8c handling.
Specify:
□ Camouflage handle with green sheath 8c black coated blade.
□ Black handle with black sheath 8c stainless blade.
Florida Resident add 5% sales tax.
Catalog only $2.00 □ Free with order
□ Check enclosed □ Money Order
Charge my □ MasterCard DVisa
Credit Card No,
Expiration Date
Authorized Signature _
Name_
Address _
COMBAT
WEAPONCRAFT
To Frag or Not To Frag
by Harry Claflin
A lot of combat veterans — includ-
ingsome atSOF — disagree but I’m no
fan of hand grenades. In my opinion,
they’re heavy, short-of-range, indis¬
criminate, hard to carry, and only use¬
ful in situations you shouldn’t be in to
begin with. On the plus side of gre¬
nades, they are the closest thing to
artillery you can carry in your pocket
and use without having to wait.
When I was a young Force Recon
Marine in Vietnam — fresh out of Laos
— I used to fill every available space on
my gear with grenades. At times I car¬
ried at least a dozen spread around my
ruck and webgear. But by the time I left
Vietnam, I was down to three smoke
grenades — red, green and yellow —
and one lonely frag.
Fragmentation grenades can be use¬
ful. If you’re in a poor defensive posi¬
tion and the bad guys are trying to walk
over you, it’s nice to interrupt their
pace by rolling frags around their an¬
kles. But I don't recommend getting in
the habit of using grenades to keep
enemy heads down unless you’ve got
the kind of logistics the Marines had at
Khe Sanh. Helicopters full of pocket
pyrotechnics in all flavors arrived every
night. And the Leathernecks on the
perimeter threw them at infiltrating
NVA like rice at a wedding. I’ve never
seen a photo of a fighting hole at that
seige that didn’t feature boxes of gre¬
nades stacked around it.
I’ve heard bush veterans say they
prefer to use hand grenades as disrupt¬
ers when they are breaking contact
Like potted plants on the kitchen
sill, grenades decorate the window
of this Marine outpost at Con Thien.
Photo: USMC
and the enemy is likely to pursue. I just
can’t agree with that. If I'm breaking
contact from the ranges where a frag
might be effective, all the enemy is
going to see of me is my back and
boot-soles.
In a pinch, I’d toss Willie Peter
(White Phosphorus) to slow enemy
pursuit. At night it can destroy enemy
night vision and there’s an instinctive
fear of fire that can be handy to provide
a head start for your departure from
the area.
If I’ve got the opportunity and
equipment, I prefer to block pursuit
with fire for the time it takes to set up a
trip-wired Claymore. When a pursuing
enemy hits that, he’ll halt and die in
place.
Notice I’ve only said I don’t prefer
grenades for open terrain or bush con¬
tacts. They are handy and effective in
other engagements. Grenades are par¬
ticularly useful for trench- and bunker¬
fighting.
Any place you want to go that you
can’t look into before you get there is
the right place for a grenade. A de¬
pression in the ground may be a harm¬
less hole or it may be a bunker entry.
And it’s nearly impossible to absolutely
predict which flank will take fire when
you jump into a trench. The full-circle
Continued on page 97
MKII MILITARY
GRENADES
WE DID OUR BEST TO COME UP
WITH THE MOST COMPLETE SET OF
NEW COMPONENTS FOR THIS
CLASSIC AND MOST EFFECTIVE
WEAPON. COMES WITH BRAND
NEW, NEVER FIRED, COMPLETE
STRIKER ASSEMBLY, HANDLE,
DETONATOR CASING, PULL PIN,
EXCELLENT CASTING AND SAFETY
CLIP, ETC. ALL THE HARDWARE,
WITHOUT THE EXPLOSIVES.
DEFINITELY NOT THE USUAL TYPE 2
OR 3 PIECE PINEAPPLE GRENADE
AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL ARMY/
NAVY STORE. THIS IS A REALLY
OUTSTANDING OFFER THAT WE
HAVE NEVER SEEN APPROACHED
BY ANYONE ELSE.
WARNING: FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES
APPROVAL BEFORE ACTIVATION OF
DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES
MKII U,S. MILITARY
PRACTICE GRENADES
1 OR 2 GRENADES .$19.95 EACH
3 OR MORE GRENADES. .$16.95 EACH
SHIPPING & HANDLING
ADD $3.00 PER ORDER
CATALOG OF MANY OTHER MILITARY
ORDINANCE & PYROTECHNIC
DEVICES . $2.00 - FREE WITH ORDER
ORDER FORM
Nome
Addrass
City
State Zip
□ 1 enclose my check
or money order for S
Or please charge to
□ Visa □ Master Card
Account Number
Exp. Dcfe
Signoture
Phoenix Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 3339-B
Evergreen Colorado 80439
Phone: 303 674-2653
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 15
FULL AUTO
Peter G. Kokalis
Austria’s Superior Sub-Gun
T
M. HE submachine gun refuses to die.
It hovers near death but new pro¬
totypes abound and in certain circles
sales remain steady — if not brisk. A
few of the newcomers to the field get
top marks and may keep the genre
from disappearing.
The Steyr MPi69/81 series sub¬
machine guns are a few of the best of
them. They first appeared in the 1960s
when a “lightweight” infantry rifle was
epitomized by the 9V2-pound FN FAL.
Like its contemporary, the UZI, the
Steyr MPi69 (MaschinenPistole 1969)
owes many of its more conspicuous
features to the Czech ZK 476 designed
by the brothers Koucky and to the Vz
23, 24, 25 and 26 series of Vaclav
Holek. But the Steyr MPi69 is far sim¬
pler and more innovative than all its
predecessors and most of its contem¬
poraries.
The MPi69 fires from the traditional
open- bolt position by means of ad¬
vanced primer ignition with a fixed fir¬
ing pin. This means that the primer is
actually detonated before the cartridge
is fully seated in the chamber and while
it is moving forward. The cartridge’s
force of equal and opposite reaction
(one of Newton’s laws) is thus dissi¬
pated in not only overcoming the in¬
ertia of the stopped bolt and driving it
rearward, but in stopping its forward
movement as well. This concept per¬
mits designers to use a much lighter
bolt.
The MPi69 has a telescoping bolt
which permits a longer barrel (10.25
inches), that in turn maintains the
pressure peak for a longer interval and
thus requires a heavier bolt to delay the
pure blowback action. Back to square
one.
The cartridge remains inclined to the
firing pin/chamber axis until partially
chambered and thus the primer cannot
be detonated prematurely. Once the
tapered chamber and case produce
enough drag for the firing pin to crush
the primer, ignition will occur. In
theory the actual position of firing can
be altered by fouling or debris in the
chamber and differing lots of ammuni¬
tion. In general firing occurs with about
0.05 inch separating the front face of
the bolt and the chamber face. The
wrap-around bolt provides an addi¬
tional safety margin in the unlikely
event of a blown case as the bolt face is
halfway along the bolt’s overall 6.125-
inch length. The rectangular bolt body
has shallow longitudinal cuts which
collect debris and minimize stoppages
under conditions of extreme fouling.
Telescoping bolts modify upward
climb in burst fire and also enhance
pointing characteristics.
Thafis good news, since the MPi60’s
magazine well is located in the grip
assembly* a feature that necessitates a
The best of a dying breed of firearm:
the Steyr MPi69 SMG.
grip-to-frame angle of 90 degrees.
While not as ergonomically satisfying
as those of the Beretta M12S or Ster¬
ling submachine guns, it leaves the
point of balance directly above the
grip, provides a firm support for the
magazine and aids in rapid magazine
changes, using the well-known princi¬
ple of “hand finds hand.” Gratefully,
there is no grip safety. The magazine
catch release is located at the rear heel
of the magazine well. It must be oper¬
ated with the support hand, which
must also withdraw the empty maga¬
zine as it will not drop freely.
The all-steel, two-position feed mag¬
azines come in two capacities: 25 and
32 rounds. They can be loaded by
hand or with a box-type loader. The
MPi69 is not ammunition-sensitive and
will consume tracer and ball ammuni¬
tion in all projectile configurations.
Nor will it “double” due to ammuni¬
tion of reduced ballistic performance
because of the bolt’s unique multiple
sear notches. When fully retracted and
firing normal ammunition the sear en¬
gages the bolt’s front surfaces. Two
sets of notches cut into the bottom of
the bolt provide two additional bents
for sear engagement. Weak ammuni¬
tion producing short recoil will cause
the sear to engage on the bents formed
by the first (or forward) set of notches.
Partial retraction of the cocking lever or
jarring will cause the bolts on many
submachine guns, to move rearward
just far enough to pick up a round from
the magazine and move forward to
slam-fire an accidental discharge. This
type of movement on the MPi69 is
contained by the bents of the second
set of bolt notches.
The recoil springs, guide rod and
rubber buffer are permanently re¬
tained in their bolt channel by a nub on
the front end of the guide rod. Early
MPi69 submachine guns had a single¬
recoil firing and a cyclic rate of 550
rpm. Many commando units prefer
higher cyclic rates — often for reasons
of mystique rather than logic. As a con¬
sequence, Steyr has added an outer
1.75-inch accelerator spring which in¬
creases the bolt’s forward movement
without affecting rearward travel. The
result is an increase in the cyclic rate to
700 rpm. If you don’t like the increased
rate (1 don’t) just remove the accelera¬
tor spring.
The bolt group is housed in a
stamped-sheet-metal receiver of light-
gauge steel formed and welded into a
square tube. The ejector is riveted in
place. Photographs of early prototypes
showed integral mounts on the receiv¬
er’s top surface to accept the Single¬
point sight. This was omitted from all
production models. A bracket welded
to the receiver’s bottom guides the
Continued on page 95
16 SOLIHKU or rOHTIJNE
JULY 85
MUMBl-e-
WORLD S FINEST MILITARY EQUIPMENT
1375 N. WILSON ROAD RADCLIFF, KENTUCKY 40160
JUNGLE HAMMOCK-GENUINE ISSUE
If you want the real Vietnam Jungle Hammock
then you have found It. We discovered and
purchased this group of unissued and authentic
hammocks. They are strong and ready for service
even after 13 years. Supplies are limited and this
is the last batch of these rare hammocks.
SF13-1037...$99.95
MILITARY
MAP TEMPLATE
Provides U.S. and NATO
military symbols along
with a protractor for
reading of intersections
and resections on military
maps. Convenient
1:50,000 grid aids in
reading and estimating six
and eight digit coor¬
dinates. Includes handy
scales for Inches and
millimeters. Flexible
plastic for maximum
durability. Fits easily In the Army BDU and
USMC utility shirt pockets.
SF05-1331.$9.97
GERMAN STYLE MAP CASE
Developed by U.S. Troops while on field duty in
Germany. Clear, pliable acetate with a full length
zipper. 24 x 34”. Olive drab binding.
SF07-1142.$12.95
MRE’S (MEAL, READY TO EAT)
Taste the newest official military rations; MRE!
Flavorful meal pack includes a meat entree,
cracker pack, cheese spread, mixed fruit,
beverage powder, spoon, coffee, cream substitute,
^ sugar, candy, salt,
matches and toilet tissue.
Contents vary' slightly with
different entrees. Each
meal Is packaged in a
sealed plastic envelope.
ttiOH 0 Case of
NIGHT WATCH
Intruder detection system designed to alert you
when someone has entered your area, campsight,
home or farm. Once a tripwire perimeter has been
established, you can relax. Comes complete with
system black box, 8,000 feet of ultra-thin wire and
earphone (used if you don’t want the audible
alarm). Two circuits 3x4xl , /i”. 7 ounces.
SF05-1339. .... ..$79.95
EXPLORER SURVIVAL KNIFE
For men who must live off the land and cope with
any situation. 5‘/2” black blade of440C Stainless
steel. Blade is complete with saw, barbed wire
cutter, clinometer and distress code. Knuckle
guard on the handle. Endcap, which can be used
as a hammer, also encloses a compass and hollow
handle filled With survival necessities, including
the morse code. Scabbard has hidden sharpening
stone and screwdriver. Virtually indestructible.
SF07-2059 .$149.95
G. GORDEN L1DDY POSTER
A coy smile greets you as you unroll this beautiful
full color poster of one of today’s most contro¬
versial figures. Mr. Liddy is dressed in a business
suit and appears to be ready to give the viewer
the business end of an UZI. Autograph printed
across lower portion of poster. 17x22”.
SF07-2235.$7.50
GENUINE ISSUE MILITARY COT
This is the sophisticated new military
cot. The bed is made of fully taped and
reinforced olive drab nylon. The frame
is extruded aluminum with smooth
nylon end-caps. Don’t confuse this cot
with surplus cots of the past made of
wood that rots or canvas that rots.
NSN 7105-00-935-0422. 78x30x17”.
Folds to 37x9x4”. Genuine
SF05-0989
U hSrMXr
DRILL INSTRUCTOR
BULLDOG
You can’t defeat his steely-
eyed stare. Obviously be
means business and you
must obey every command he
would “bark” out, If only he
could. Soft plush with
U.S.M.C. red shirt. Brown
felt hat with chin strap. 18”.
SF07-2791.$29.95
1375 NORTH WILSON ROAD
RADCLIFF, KY 40160
PHONE (502)351-1164
<?rr.
DESCRIPTION/SIZE/COLOR
tme mm hyfws emm momm.
I TMSUFW
n VISA LI mastercard
CHECK □ SS
□t
SKIPPING.
HANDLING.
INSURANCE
KENTUCKY
RESIDENTS
ADD 5^ TAX
"PHONE
JULY 85
SOLIHFR OF FORTUNE 17
__ Leather Cases
Single, Double and Triple genuine
leather cases available for all HKS
Speedloaders, Black, Brown or Tan.
No. 105 Single $13.95
No. 103 Double $18.95
No. 102 Triple $18.95 (No Flap]
CORDURACASE
(NYLON-DOUBLE)
cOQ£> -BLACK—
^Cr* 0 -CAMOUFLAGE-
Newest
Model
For H&R
.22 L.R.,,
9-Shot_
Model 22-HR
HKS Speedloaders Fit Nearly
Every Revolver ■ >
• SMITH & WESSON
.38. .357,22-J, 22-K, .41 Mag.,
.44 Spec., .44 Mag., .45 Auto Rim,
.45 Colt Long, .9MM
• COLT .38, .357, .22
• RUGER .38, .357, .44 Mag.,
Security Six, Speed Six, Red Hawk
• DAN WESSON
.38, .357, .22 LR., .44
• CHARTER ARMS
.22, .38, .357, .44 Special, .22 LR.
• H&R .22 LR., 9-Shot
See Your Local Gun Dealer
HKS Products, Inc.
7841 Foundation Drive
Florence, Ky. 41042
IN REVIEW
■AND THEM
ART OF WAR
I * WHY OUR OUTMODED MILITARY 0W
ESTABLISHMENT IS IN URGENT NEED ■
OF REFORM * WHY OUR MILITARY POWER I
IS SO COSTLY IN PEACETIME ANdH
CONTINUES TO FAIL IN COMBAT H
DESPITE THE ABUNDANT TALENT AND M
PATRIOTISM IN OUR FORCES ★ ★ ★ H
■ THIS BOOK OFFERS A PLAN ■ H
FOR DRASTIC ★ FUNDAMENTALS REFORM
AUTHOR OF THt GRAND STRATtOY OF THt 5QVHT UNION
THE PENTAGON AND THE ART
OF WAR. By Edward N. Luttwak.
Simon and Shuster, Dept. SOF,
1230 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, NY 10020. 333 pp.
$17.95. Review by Alexander
McColl.
A HE Pentagon and the Art of
War is not going to be welcome read¬
ing to the powers-that-be in Washing¬
ton’s defense establishment, Not that it
is your standard run-of-the-mill pacifist
anti-military tract, but Dr. Luttwak is a
devout believer in the importance of
effective military power as a source of
national security and the preservation
of the Free World in the face of the
awesome war-machine that the
Soviets have built up over the last
twenty years. He makes no effort to
conceal his displeasure with the status
quo.
The key word is “effective.” Lutt-
wak’s concerns are with effectiveness
under the actual grim realities of com¬
bat which — as he demonstrates —
may or may not have much to do with
“efficiency” in the civilian business or
bookkeeper’s sense of the word. A
single air-defense system consisting of
guided missiles, control radars, etc.,
may be more “efficient” than overlap¬
ping and parallel systems, each requir¬
ing its own specific training program,
list of repair parts and so on, but the
single system is also much easier for an
enemy to learn, understand and even¬
tually neutralize with electronic and
tactical counter-measures. Time and
money spent training infantry soldiers
in small-unit tactics may be precisely
quantified. The quality and realism of
the training are something else again
and may be degraded for the sake of
unrealistic “safety” rules to avoid the
hullaballoo that always appears after
any serious training accident.
Dr. Luttwak points out a number of
areas where there are very great
“opportunities for improvement.” In
each he calls the present situation un¬
satisfactory and indicates internal re¬
form is no longer possible. Here are a
few.
First is what he calls the “materialist
bias.” That is, the over-emphasis on
material, quantifiable things, obses¬
sively examined in minute detail by the
Congress and elsewhere, to the near¬
exclusion of the non-quantifiable but
ultimately vital intangibles ranging
from national strategy to the lead¬
ership, morale and cohesion of small
units.
Second is the officer surplus. The
plan at the end of World War II was to
retain and find jobs for as many field-
grade and higher officers as possible so
they would be available for a future
mobilization. The government hoped
that the military 1 would thereby avoid
the senior-officer shortage and its
associated confusions that attended
the earlier stages of our World War II
buildup. The result, and this is no new
insight of Luttwak's, is the vast, pro¬
liferated and duplicating structure of
structures upon structures of com¬
mand and staff, research and develop¬
ment and other bureaucracies. This
has led to a tragic and fantastic
bureaucratization and over¬
management of the whole defense
establishment, as well as condemning
substantially all career officers to years
of soul-destroying desk work.
Third is what Luttwak calls the “Re¬
search Merry-Go-Round,” illustrated
by an analysis of the Air Force Systems
Command, He explains how the ex¬
cessive bureaucratization and over¬
management defeat attainment of sim¬
ple solutions and result in years of de¬
lay and in over-elaborate, over-
expensive “systems” that either never
get manufactured at all, come into ser¬
vice years too late, and/or in quantities
(due to excessive cost) that will force
reliance on wholly obsolete weapons
after the first volley.
Fourth, with the sole exception of
Continued on page 99
18 SOLIHEll OF FOKTIJNE
JULY 85
\
3
/
* American Soldiers of Fortune is a one-time,
special publication by the editors of Soldier of
Fortune Magazine
* American Soldiers of Fortune takes you behind
the scenes for a revealing journey to the world's
hot spots —- to the battlegrounds held by
America's Dogs of War!
* Am erica n Soldiers of Fortune features
action packed; true-to-life tales of America's
greatest soldiers for hire. Plus ... a bonus
catalog section filled with the latest tools and
gadgets of the Mercenary trade.
Q Chock or money
order enclosed.
D.S. FUNDS ONLY!
Quantity (x S3.S0)
Postage & Handling
3% Sales Tax (Colo. Res.)
Total Amount Enclosed
Name-
Address -
City____State__ Zip_
Overseas orders add 52.00 per copy additional postage. D.S. Funds only! PJuse afjmr JO Jaj* tur
delivery alter print date (81 -85). Clip coupon and mail to SDF Jtrlian Series, P.0. Bax 693, Boulder,
CO 80306 Offer expires 12/31/85.
S0F-7
* Don't Miss American Soldiers of Fortune!
Cornin' At Ya Everywhere August 20th
# Don't Wait — use the coupon opposite and order
your advance copy of American Soldiers of
Fortune to day I
SOLDIER or rURTUNE 19
«sw
OUTFITTERS OF THE PROFESSIONALS
SOF EXCHANGE • P.O. Box 687, Boulder, CO 80306
Phone (303) 449-3750
#1525 — Original British Commando
Pullover 100% pure virgin wool rib knit. Olive
green with cotton/polyester twill shoulder and
elbow patches. Features epaulets with Velcro
tabs. Made in England to NATO standards,
(includes free SOF subdued patch.) S, M, L,
XL $39.95
#1522 — British DPM Windproof Pants.
Same material as our SAS Smock. Features
two large map thigh pockets with Velcro flaps.
Drawcord inside waistband plus buttoned
waistband tighteners. Two front pockets and
one rear pocket with buttoned flap. Zip fly.
Buttoned belt loops large enough to fit standard
web pistol belts. All lengths 33”. 100% cotton
made in the UK. S, M, L, XL $69.00
SAS Smock. Standard issue for members of
Special Air Service Regiment. Its windproof
material, light-weight and fast-drying qualities
have long made it the first choice of profession¬
al soldiers. Made from MOD disruptive pattern
tight-weave cotton, it is handmade to the high¬
est specification. Among its many exceptional
features are: Light weight — 2 lb. 2 oz. • Quick
drying — aiding body-heat retention • Breath¬
able — allows vapour to disperse • Windproof
— reducing wind chill • Lined hood with draw
cords • Lined shoulders and elbows • Four
bellows pockets'with large matte green buttons
• Shoulder pocket for pens • Drawstring at
waist and hem • Heavy-duty metal zip with
coldweather tag • Velcro front-fastening storm
flap • Velcro cuffs • Inside breast pocket •
Inside back pocket into which the Smock can
be rolled to make a pillow • Warm in the winter,
cool in the summer, the SAS Smock is suitable
for both professional and general use. The
Smock is generously cut to wear over clothes.
$124.95 (S) #1499, (M) #1500, (L)
#1501, (XL) #1502
#1017 — SOF Shorts. Rugby style with two
side pockets and elasticized waist. Cotton/
polyester blend. Navy sizes S, M, L, XL
$12.95
#1015 — SOF 10th Anniversary Long-
sleeve T-shirt Backed w/SOF World Tour.
100% cotton. Navy. S, M, L, XL $12.95
#1016 — SOF Sweat Pants 50/50 cotton/
poly blend. Navy. S, M, L, XL $13.95
20 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
OUTFITTERS OF THE PROFESSIONALS
SOF EXCHANGE • P.O. Box 687, Boulder, CO 80306
Phone (303) 449-3750
#1010 — SOF Sport Shirt 50/50 cotton/
poly blend. With rib-knit collar and sleeve cuffs.
Navy. $14.95
#7022 — SOF Beret Badge. Red enameled.
$7.00
#7023 — SOF Beret Badge. Silver drop.
$8.00
#7024 — SOF Beret Badge. Black ano¬
dized. $8.00
#7020 — SOF Logo Lapel Pin. Red
enameled. $2.50
#7021 — SOF Logo Lapel Pin. Silver drop.
$ 6.00
#2001 — Soldier of Fortune Beret. 100%
wool with liner. Maroon. Sizes 6 V 2 , 6 %, 7,7 Vs,
7%, 7 3 /s, 7 V 2 , 7 5 /a, 7 3 /4. $13.95
Send Orders to:
SOF EXCHANGE
SF785 P.O. BOX 687
BOULDER, COLORADO 80306
Allow 60 to 90 days delivery.
Mastercard & VISA orders welcomed.
#7001 — Official Soldier of Fortune
patch. Red, white and black. $1.95
#7002 — Official Soldier of Fortune
patch. Subdued. Olive drab. $1.95
#7003 — SOF Cammo Shield patch.
$4.95
#7004 — El Salvador Battalion Aero-
tran sport ado patch. $4.95
We accept tele¬
phone orders on
MasterCard &
VISA — call ua at
(303) 449-3750.
Sony, no collect
calle accepted!
PLEASE INCLUDE
$1.75 FOR THE
FIRST ITEM
ORDERED — IN¬
CLUDE 75<: FOR
EACH ADDITION¬
AL ITEM FOR
POSTAGE AND
HANDLING. Over¬
seas orders add
30%. PLEASE
ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS
FOR DELIVERY.
Mail to: SOF EXCHANGE, SF 7/85, P.O. Box 687, Boulder CO 80306
COLOR QTY.
□ VISA □ MASTERCARD
Card #_____
Eap-
NAME_
Pontage & Handling
3% Sales Tax (CO res.)
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED
#1515 — Soldier of Fortune Tour Jacket
Black nylon satin jacket with flannel lining.
s,m,l,xl. $49.95
#7010 — SOF Belt Buckle. Pewter. $6.95
#7011 — SOF Belt Buckle. Stainless steel
with red enameled logo. $9.95
#7012 — SOF Military Style Buckle with.
silver drop logo. $10.95
#7013 — SOF Military Style Buckle.
Black with black anodized logo. $11.95
#7014 — Web belt for Military Style
Buckle. 1W\ Khaki. $3.00
#7015 — Special Edition Handcrafted
German Silver Buckle. $50.00
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 21
Battle Ot'ders; Defense-Industrial Data; Defense Intelligence;
Historical, Economic, Political Data—for every nation,
territory and dependency in the world—all in one volume!
.. •/ ' *zi y
Defense & Foreign Affairs Handbook
Intelligence on 199 nations, territories,
dependencies.
Special sections on (1) members of government;
(2) history and background briefing; (3) geographic,
demographic, arid social data; (4) political
organization, voting data, influential groups, size
of local communist party; (5) economic data;
| (6) news media; (7) defense information — personnel,
expenditures, military battle ordeis, manpower,
equipment, bases; (8) local
defense industry;
(9) embassies.
' up tfu
I £ *'2? r> : ' *"* -« <*(*«**
Rb-
Directory of key suppliers of
defense materiel.
. * .
32 pages of names, addresses, products.
I Missile tables.
Strategic, anti-ship, air-to-ground,
surface-to-air, anti-armor, ballistic field
support, and anti-sub missiles. Their
deployment, speed, range, warheads,
physical dimensions, propulsion and
guidance systems.
Strategic Personalities.
26 pages of biographical data on the
people who move events.
■ Warsaw Treaty
Organization and NATO.
Completely updated; history plus
analysis of structure and doctrine.
I Glossary
A special section explaining political
and military acronyms and
nomenclature.
If ! ^ > >° * * ^ ^ ■* y
I Arms transfer tables.
Who bought what from whom.
Quantities, purchase price, dates.
i Military Helicopter
Production.
The entire world's production
(ex Soviet Bloc)—source countries,
makers, licensees, model numbers,
manufacturers' addresses.
PLUS
^ Major updates on every nation ^ Newly revised maps
e Details on the Lebanese militias ^ Updates on missiles, arms transfers.
Description of the Soviet Nomenklatura helicopter production. . . and much morel
When you need to know
. * • quickly. . • reach
for the most credible
fact-filled desk
reference ever
put together.
• Over 900 pages
• 8 Vi x 11 inches
• library binding
Defense & Foreign Affairs
Book Fulfillment Center • P.O. Box 266
Please rush.
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
copies of the 1985 edition of DEFENSE &
FOREIGN AFFAIRS HANDBOOK at US $135 00 per copy plus
shipping charge indicated below:
□ USA (UPS) $5.00 □ Surface Freight (outside USA) $ 10.00
□ Airfreight (Outside USA) $35.00
□ Check enclosed US$_
□ Please forward Pro Forma invoice (Payment required prior to shipment.)
□ Charge my credit card □ VISA □ MASTERCARD
Card Number ___Expire Date-———
CouiUry
22 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
BATTLE
BLADES
by Bill Bagwell
Save It For Mumblety-Peg
EOPLE like to throw knives. There
is something particularly satisfying
about holding a keen edge between
your thumb and forefinger and send¬
ing it flashing through space to land
with a satisfying thud in the center of
your intended target.
Kids have been doing it for years
and some of them get very good at
throwing knives. When I was 12 or 14
years old I could peg a playing card
every time from 25 feet. It took a lot of
practice but I usually found time for
that sort of thing. And then I grew up,
did a little studying and stopped throw¬
ing knives.
In conversations with professional
military men who had seen a lot of
combat and were serious about the
various available methods to harm an
enemy, it quickly became apparent
that throwing knives at people was not
a particularly effective or efficient way
to eliminate them. These pros taught
me that throwing a knife at an enemy is
a very good way to get yourself shot
full of holes, or even killed with your
own knife.
Knife-throwing is a good form of rec¬
reation. It is not a good combat tactic.
The most common misconception
about combat knife-throwing is that an
enemy dies if you stick the blade some¬
where in his anatomy. He might, but
you should not count on it. Unless your
blade strikes him squarely in the eye
socket and thus penetrates the brain,
Throwing your knife may be your
last discard. Photo: Dale Andrade
or catches him in the center of the
throat, he is not positively or im¬
mediately out of the fight. The opera¬
tive word is immediately.
A thrown blade does not carry the
shock power of a bullet. The wound
channel made by a thrown knife is very
similar to that of an arrow. Bow-
hunters have always realized that an
animal hit by an arrow very rarely
drops in its tracks. They will inten¬
tionally wait for at least 30 minutes
before tracking or pursuing a wounded
animal to give it time to hemorrhage. If
they give immediate chase, the animal
may be aided by a flow of adrenalin
and run for miles before dying. Such
an adrenalin rush in a human —
wounded by the knife you throw at
him — might give him the time and
energy to aim and fire or counterat¬
tack. That’s not what you want.
It is possible to kill a man instantly
with a good knife. A blow to the top of
the head which splits a skull to the
victim's sinuses, or to the back of the
neck which severs the spinal cord, will
result in immediate death. It is practi¬
cally impossible to accomplish either of
these cuts by throwing a knife at an
enemy. What you may accomplish by
throwing your knife is one or all of the
following things.
Continued on page 98
FIGHT
BIG BROTHER
1985 IS HERE!
Big brother may be watching or
listening in on you. Fight back with
the most sophisticated privacy pro¬
tection systems from CCS.
PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY
This palm sized sys¬
tem lets you know if
anyone in the room
is wearing a "bug".
It fits in your pocket
to provide privacy
wherever you go.
SEE IN THE DARK
This miniature night
scope allows you to
see in total darkness
as far as your own
eyes can see. Fits in
your pocket.
INSURE YOUR
TELEPHONE PRIVACY
This telephone scram¬
bler makes your con¬
versation indeci¬
pherable to eaves¬
droppers. Only the
legitimate speaking
parties receive clear
conversation.
Send $25.00 for new 1985 catalog with
100 pgs. of state-of-the-art electronic
security systems.
CCS Communication Control Inc.
633 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017
Enclosed is my $25.00.
Please send me your catalog.
Name_
Address.
Phone.
SOF
CCS Communication Controllnc.
633 Third Ave , New York. NY 10017 (212) 697-8140 TX-238720
1801 L St N.W, Washington. D.C 20006 (202) 659-3432
9465 WUshlre BNcL Beverty Hilts. CA 90212 (213) 274-62S6
1435 Brickell Ave., Miami. Fla. 33131 (305) 358-4336
320 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, ill. 60601 (312) 726-0998
6161 Savoy Houston.Tx 77036(713) 781-0852
62 S. Audley St.. London W1 England 01-629-0223 TX8814709
26 Place Vtndome. 75001 Parts 297-56-00 TXCCS 215524F
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 23
Roman runners
Despite Che Guevara’s contempt
for sandals — he said that the first
thing a guerrilla leader had to secure
was boots for his troops — Alp
Combat Sandals perform as
advertised.
Aside from heavy quality
materials, including water-resistant
leather, the real trick to the Alp
sandal is its sophisticated soft-nylon
lacing system that evenly distributes
pressure over much of the top of the
foot. That lacing system not only
prevents strap-galls and blisters that
are typical of rough wear with most
sandals, it holds the foot firmly to
the orthopedically designed
sole-bed.
Combat sandals work for most
warm-weather activities, but really
shine in high-temperature and wet
environments, assuring comfort in
conditions where an enclosed shoe
would only increase your misery.
Advertised also as a running sandal,
the Combat Sandal may be the only
sandal you can comfortably run in,
but that’s not really a
recommendation. They run better
than combat boots, but they’re no
match for a modern, light running
shoe.
Combat Sandals do most things
as well as most shoes. And if
Guevara had known about them, he
may have had a different idea about
sandals. They’re also cheaper than
most good shoes and boots at
$38.50 (plus $1 UPS charge) from
Alp Sandals, Dept. SOF, 250 D, N.
Hwy. 101, Encinitas, CA 92024.
ADVENTURE
QUARTERMASTE
D ONT LOSE FACE
George Patton feared a bullet
headed for his nose, according to
legend. He should’ve had Darrell
Franse’s Faceguard.
Built to exacting Federal IIA
ballistic standards, the Franse
Faceguard is light, adjustable, resists
penetration by all conventional
handgun ammo fired from
service-length barrels and takes up
no more room in a pack or attache
case than a half-dozen SOFs. The
eye-slit is wide and long enough to
provide minimum necessary vision,
but those dimensional restrictions
also make the slit easy to armor.
Franse has lined the slit in the Kevlar
mask with stainless steel for added
strength and shape-holding.
Designed with forced entry in
mind, the Faceguard provides duty
officers, narcotics agents or SWAT
cops with face and head protection
previously available only to EOD.
The Franse Faceguard proved
comfortable, blocked all advertised
loads and comes highly
recommended by SOF testers. We
think it’ll save lives. And it only costs
$125 from Franse, Dept. SOF, P.O.
Box 3347, Boulder, CO 80307.
H 1GH ANXIETY?
A mercenary friend of ours carried a briefcase everywhere he went. It
contained a box of C-rats, pocket first-aid kit, socks, flashlight, whetstone, 6-inch
locking pliers, a couple of butane lighters, webbing for a Swiss seat and several
carabiners. Asked about the purpose of the web and ‘biners, he’d say, “to get
out of buildings.” Asked where his rope was, he’d say, “I’ll find some.”
God only knows where he’d find, say, 10 stories of rope, but if he had Bill
Forrest’s latest invention he’d have it in his briefcase.
Forrest is an internationally famous mountaineer who was asked to develop a
self-rescue system for employees in a high-rise. They didn’t buy the system
because their lawyers didn’t like the idea of tacitly admitting that something might
go wrong with their building, but one executive asked about a kit for himself.
Forrest liked the idea, and the result was the High Rise Survival Kit.
The 10-story kit costs a respectable $275, but that’s not much for the
protection it offers. Dacron-sheathed Kevlar cord is the heart of the system, and
there’s 146 feet of 2600-lb.-test, 5/32-inch line packed in the nylon case, along
with a fool-proof, step-in seat that’ll hold a 300-pounder. Sixteen feet of 3000-lb.
nylon webbing is provided for an anchor, a shock-absorber keeps the panicked
from applying dangerous loads to the system, and a revolutionary no-setup brake
permanently attached to seat and cord will put you safely on the ground even if
you lose your grip on the rope. The only thing you can do wrong is leave it at
home.
And how hard is it to leave home? Very!
Believe it or not, a High Rise Survival Kit is smaller than a school-child’s lunch
box. Contact: Forrest Mountaineering, Ltd., Dept. SOF, 1136 Speer Blvd.,
Denver, CO 80204. Phone: (303) 433-3372. ^
24 SOLIIIFIl OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Tl^eWoolly Fully,
MILITARY SWEATER
100% Pure Virgin Wool.
Shoulder & Elbow Twill reinforcing
Patches. Used by the Army, Marines,
Air Force, Coast Guard, and many
other demanding users. Made to
rigorous U.S. and British Military
specifications. Sizes 34 to 46.
COMMANDO JUMP SHEATH
[TM
The Original — Made in England.
Only $39.95 ppd.
Sizes 48 & 50 $44.95
WP-200 Browntone
DERBY TWEED New for 1985!
Handsome Green Heather and Brown Tweed
look is great for the outdoors and casual wear.
WP-1 20, Derby Tweed $39.95 Sizes: 36 to 46
CAMO WOOLLY PULLY®
Registered military style pattern for the adventurous.
Great match up with military camo BDUs.
WP-70, Camo Woolly Fully Sizes: 36 to 46 $39.95 ppd.
Select from these styles & colors:
CREW NECK SIZES
WP-110, Olive Green, USMC approved 5/77
WP-115, Olive Green, w/epauleu
WP-120, Navy Blue
WP-127, Navy Blue, w/epauleU
WP-130, RAF Blue/grey
WP-170, Black
WP-185, Sand (Tan)
WP-200, Brown to ne-Ragg-look
WP-70, Camouflage
32*50
34-50
32-50
36-46
32-50
34-46
34-46
34-46
34-50
V-NECK
WP-121, Navy Blue w/epauleta
WP-125, Navy Blue
WP-131, USAF Blue, w/epeulelt
WP-171, US Army Black, w/epautel* A patch
WP-178, Black, US Naval Academy
WP-160, Send (Tan)
WP-190, Peat Brown, US Fieh A Wildlife Service
RANGER BOONIE HATS
Floppy Vietnam Style Hat
with the Short Brim . Military Fabrics.
Made to Mil-spec design. Sizes: 7, 7V4, 7V2, 7 3 A.
VRH-2, OD Boonie A
VRH-3, Black Boonie $11 -95 ppd.
VRH-5, Navy Blue Boonie
VRH-7, Woodland Camo Boonie
VRH-8, Day/Desert Boonie
BATTLE DRESS UTILITIES
BRIGADE’S RIPSTOP
COMBAT CLOTH™
Lightweight, rugged, and fully reinforced for the
toughest conditions. Exclusive 65/35 RipStop
Poplin. Made to Army patterns for the regular
but more comfortable in our all-climate Combat
Coats: XS(1),S(2), M(3), L(4),XL(5).
Trousers: XS(1), S(2), M(3). L(4), XL(5) Longs in
S,M, Lonty.
Colors: (.1) Woodland Camo (2) SWAT Black (3)
TAC-TEAM Navy Blue (4) Urban Smoke Gray
BRC, Combat Cloth Coat $32.95 ppd.
BRT, Combat Cloth Trousers $32.95 ppd.
Our Exclusive Sheath provides greater wear flexibility and
protection for your trusty edged tools. Internally lined with
flexible plastic, covered with water-repellent, mil-spec
packcloth. May be carried on regular belts. Clips not incl.
Select for 5", 8", 12" and 18" blades.
Colors: (1 )Camoutfage, (3)Black.
CJS5( ), Commando Jump Sheath, 5" $8.95
CJS8( ), Commando Jump Sheath, 8" $9.95
CJS1 2( ), Commando Jump Sheath, 12 " $11.95
CJS18( ), Commando Jump Sheath, 18" $13.95
ALC-150, ALICE Attaching Clips 2 pack $1.25
WORLDWIDE SURVIVAL TOOL
The Survival 12" Machete is a perfect choice for all
Outdoorsmen. Every soldier should own one. Chop, dig,
skin, cut for survival or around the home.
MCH312, Survival Machete 12" $7.95 ppd.
COMMANDO WATCHBAND ™
Protects and conceals nighttime glow. Unique Velcro® doublelock
band and crystal cover strap. Ideal for nightwork, hunting, and hard
work. Measure wrist to nearest larger 1 U ” mark for correct size.
CB21 , Camo Watchband $5.95 ppd.
Also available in OD & Black
Type 8 nylon web Parachute Webbing.
CB1 , Commando Watchband $5-50 ppd.
Revolutionary design
is multi-pocketed and
is worn suspended
around the neck.
For ultra high security! Ideal for travelers, hikers,
military personnel, children, and women. Holds
currency, coins, keys, passport, travel
documents, accessories.
Closed Size: 5 3 /4x7 3 /4".
Colors: Camo, Olive Drab, Black, Navy, Tan.
KEP-82,TrekSaf $12.95 ppd.
Postpaid Shipping TOTAL ENCLOSED
Send Check, Money Order or charge to Visa, Mastercard, Amex.,
or Diners Club. Foreign orders must request postage rates.
Card #___Expires:_
Name_
Send FREE Catalogue of Basics for Life Products. Address
Brigade Quartermasters, Ltd.— city —
266 Roswell Street (60G), Marietta GA 30060 State_
Charge Phone Orders to your Bankcard Call [404] 428-1234
--—_ Zip-
Money Back Guarantee
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 25
SOF AFGHANISTAN
SOVIET
BG-15
Kunar Carry-out
Bags a Blooper
by David Isby
I t was not what any sane Westerner
could call a leisurely shopping spree.
The merchandise was as scarce as snow
in the Sahara and the store was full of
Soviet security guards who would gladly
blow us away just for entering the
bargain basement. But we hadn’t come to
embattled Kunar Province to go home
empty-handed. Thanks to the Afghan
Freedom Fighters and their ability to
shoplift Soviet hardware from battlefields
such as this one, we could cross off the
items on our shopping list and head for
the check-out counter.
Contemplating the violent
mountainside ambush where it was
picked up wholesale, I turned a treasure
over in my hands. I had never seen the
New Soviet BG-15 clips on AK to fill same
role as U.S. M203.
weapon before but it was number one on
my list of things to scrounge during this
trip to Afghanistan. After a difficult trek
across the border from Pakistan, the
mujahideen had finally handed me a
Soviet 7.62mm AKMS assault rifle with
an intriguing supplement to its standard
firepower. Mounted under the barrel was
a 40mm grenade launcher, similar in
concept — if not in design — to the
familiar U.S. M203 that supplements
some American M16 rifles in standard
infantry squads. The U.S. version was
designed to replace the popular
Vietnam-era “Blooper” or M79 grenade
launcher. The Soviet variety is designated
the BG-15.
This example was serial number NAB
1121. A previous specimen — serial
number NAB 092 — was captured in the
Panjsher Valley in 1984, indicating a
relatively limited run of the weapon in
hands of Soviet forces here in
Afghanistan. I had heard of this weapon
on our previous visit to the mujahideen
and we announced the find in Soldier of
Fortune (“SOF Counts Coups in
Afghanistan,” October ’84, page 53).
Since that break, I had let the Afghans
know we were interested in examining a
specimen firsthand. This was the response
to my request.
Our old mentor, Hassan Gailani, had
come through with the hardware. He is
the Military Chairman of the National
Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA), one
of the seven Peshawar-based resistance
parties, and a devoted reader of Soldier
of Fortune. On my last trip, he produced
for our examination such previously
unknown goodies as the AKR 5.45mm
assault rifle and a silencer for an AKMS.
Hassan had heard of a spectacular
ambush by NIFA guerrillas in the Kunar
and noted that the victors had policed up
a BG-15. When he heard of our visit, he
arranged a liaison between us and the
men who had captured the weapon. He
had also examined the shopping lists
brought along by Major Karen McKay,
U.S. Army Reservist and Executive
Director of the Committee for a Free
Afghanistan. She was as anxious to get
her hands on the BG-15 as I was.
Hassan was the linch-pin for our foray
into technical intelligence but an
important fixer on the trip was Brigadier
Ramatullah Safi, one-time Chief of
Special Forces, Royal Afghan Army,
who had done a tour with Great Britain’s
Special Air Service, attended the Soviet
Army Mountain Warfare School, and
been an unwilling guest in one of the
Kabul regime’s prisons. Safi met us in
Peshawar after his return from another
trip involving ordnance. He had delivered
several hundred rounds of ammo to the
communist garrison at Khost through the
muzzles of some Chinese-made 82mm
and British three-inch mortars. As he had
personally trained the guerrillas who
ambushed the Soviets in Kunar Province
and captured these weapons, Safi had an
interest in seeing the results of his work.
The BG-15 was waiting for us at our
destination, where it had been carried
rolled in a carpet. The Afghans who had
brought it were the mujahideen from
Kunar. There were a few graybeards with
their Lee Enfields -— men who had
grown up in the old ways of the Pathan
— but most were young men, armed
with Kalashnikovs that they carried with
assurance. One had a traditional Khyber
knife stuck in his belt. The craftsmen
who made these belong to the
26 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
. >-1 ,
f v -
J '\ ■
Afghans have seen Soviet soldiers fire the
BG with rifle butt on the ground.
*
JULY 85
£jyS
Soviet-made Kalashnikov rifle. This
specimen was attached to an AKMS
when captured, but the Kunar Afghans
told us that this was rare. The launcher
was normally slung under a 5.45mm
AKS-74, known to the Afghans as the
“Kallikov.” They demonstrated the
flexibility of the system by swapping the
grenade launcher between different rifles
as we watched.
gray beards’ generation, and they are few
and far between.
They welcomed Hassan and Safi with
great respect and affection. As the
nephew of Say id Ahmad Gailani, head of
NIFA, Hassan is widely respected among
the border Pathans. We took photographs
and listened to the story of the capture of
the grenade launcher.
After we had avoided the cardinal
Afghan sin of refusing hospitality by
sharing a meal and listening to the
mujahideen plotting revenge on the
Soviet invaders, the weapon was
displayed for pur examination. The
grenade launcher is literally a clip-on
system. Two clamps attach the BG-15
tube under the barrel of any standard.
When I first encountered the AKR
short 5.45mm assault rifle on my travels
with the Afghans last year, it had simply
proved to be the standard Kalashnikov in
a new package. The BG-15 grenade
launcher is a different story. While it
bears a conceptual similarity to the M203
it is obviously not an attempt to copy a
proven product.
It is a short-barreled system — slightly
over 12 inches from pistol grip to bore
— with a trigger mounted below the
forward hand grip of the AK-series
weapons. A hole for the thumb of the
firing hand is drilled through a stubby
pistol grip located just behind the trigger
Soviet grenade-launcher trigger mechanism
is simple, robust and protected.
mechanism. Forward of that is the
launcher tube which is just over five
inches long. The BG-15 is fired by
right-handed shooters with the trigger
hand at the pistol grip and the left hand
placed forward on the tube.
A rifled muzzle-loader, the BG-15
grenade launcher is fitted to fire 40mm
ammo, but it’s unlikely Soviet troopers
will be launching captured M79 or M203
rounds back at friendlies in a fire fight.
The Soviet launch system is too
dissimilar. Where the U.S. round
resembles a giant shotgun shell, the
Soviet 40mm grenade has a perforated
tail at its base which contains the
Serial number on latest launcher was very
close to previously captured BG-15.
SPECIFICATIONS
: ■
BG-15
M203
LAUNCHER
2 lbs *
Weight:
3 lbs.
Length:
Bore
11 inches
15.5 inches
diameter:
40mm
40mm
(1.6 inches)
(1.6 inches)
Action: muzzle- breech¬
loading loading
single-shot single-shot
Barrel: 5.5-inch 12-inch
rifled smoothbore
AMMUNITION
Weight:
Range:
Variants:
.4 lb.*
400 yards*
high
explosive
(no other
reported)*
' 'Mi
.6 lb.
400 yards
over 30
types from
HE and shot
to VT fuse
and smoke
♦Because of lack of ammunition and the
absence of weighing scales, these data
are either approximate or conjectural.
28 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
propelling charge. This tail fits into a
recess at the butt end of the grenade
launcher tube. The first of a series of
bore-riding metal rings at the base of the
round is grooved to mate with the tube’s
rifling, provide a seal for propellant gases
and initiate spin. When the trigger is
pulled, the firing pin of the launcher
strikes a percussion cap in the tail of the
round igniting the propelling charge and
launching the grenade. Unlike the M79
or M203 system, the entire round is
launched. There is no cartridge case to be ■
ejected from the system after firing. To
date, only high explosive rounds have
been observed fired from the BG-15.
Soviet parachute flares showed up in haul
that included BG-15.
The launcher sights are unduly
complicated. Mounted on the left side of
the BG-15 system, they can be partially
obscured by the forward sling-swivel
assembly when a standard sling is
mounted and the shooter is under
pressure. They remain folded away until
the grenadier is ready to launch. At that
point he is required to unfold a rear
leaf-type sight with V-notch resembling
the normal sight on an AKM and a
forward frame featuring an oblong
aperture topped by an adjustable,
unguarded post sight. This post is similar
to the standard AK threaded front-sight
post.
Mujahid shows fuse-end of Soviet 40mm
grenade.
To shift the sight for various ranges,
the grenadier adjusts the entire assembly
vertically through a series of detents
marked in white as “2” and “3” —.
presumably, 200 and 300 meters. (Safi
indicated 300 meters was considered the
BG-15’s maximum effective range.) An
extreme elevation detent appears on the
sight and is marked in red as “42.” The
Soviets may consider the max range
somewhere out around 420 meters. For
direct fire — usually at targets inside 200
meter ranges — the weapon is likely
fired using the host rifle’s standard
sights.
Unlike U.S. M203 and M79 ammo, BG-15
grenades hold propellant in a perforated
base attached to the grenade.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 29
Soviet grenadiers are apparently
trained to fire the BG-15 using the off
(left) eye and acquiring a general sight
picture through the oblong frame of
the launcher's front sight. They then
refine the sight alignment by placing
the launcher’s front-sight blade in the
notch of the rear sight and squeeze off
the round.
The BG-15 is; rated as having a stiff
recoil. While it is clearly designed for
firing from the shoulder, Afghans saiif
they had $een the weapon used while
being propped on the ground in much
the same manner as American troops
were taught to fire rifle grenades from
the Ml or ML4 rifles at extreme
elevations.
Test-firing of thy weapon is
currently being conducted.
Handling the BG45 assembly wtfli
practiced expti Sailindicated he
ad been on the receiving end of
renade attacks do wn in Paktia. He
was Some What like v K
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
BG-15
The road from Asmar to Barikot in
Afghanistan's Kunar province snakes
through a steep valley alongside the
cool, blue-green waters of the broad Ku¬
nar River. These days it is outlined by
burned-out truck hulks an<J the occasion¬
al skeleton of a Soviet armored person¬
nel carrier. To combat veterans, it’s not
an unfamiliar situation.
Guerrilla conflicts may differ but the
roads that serve as main arteries through
the killing ground are always similar..
Route 1 in South Vietnam, the Street
Without Joy in French Indochina, or
Ambush Alley in County Tyrone, Ul¬
ster, they are all hashmarks of tenor.
Each curve is an ambush, each bump is a
mine. It's the same along the Asmar-
Barikot road in Kunar.
The troops of the Kabul regime nor¬
mally escorted the convoys that fought
their way along this blacktop ribbon of
death. Armed men in khaki uniforms got
so skittish when assigned to escort duty
they frequently deserted to join the guer¬
rilla ranks shortly after an ambush was
sprung. Others resisted with traditional
Afghan ferocity. One of the greatest
tragedies of the war is that good men die
needlessly for the quisling Babrak Kar-
mal.
Kunar province is on the frontier and
borders Pakistan north of the Khyber
Pass. It is remote and rebellious even by
Afghan standards. That's saying a great
deal. Back in the 1940s — back when
the Afghans say it was springtime all
year long and life was good *— a wide¬
spread rebellion brought the Royal Af¬
ghan Army into Kunar with aircraft and
artillery. The Soviets, knowing a poten¬
tially endless battle When they see one,
normally did not commit their own
troops to the Kunar. They regarded it as
a sideshow, away from the cities and
airfields they considered important.
All that changed in mid-January
1985. Moving fast, the Soviets deployed
into the border provinces. Moving most¬
ly by helicopter into Kunar, Nangahar
and Paktia provinces on the Pakistani
border, the Soviet Army had apparently
decided it was time to disrupt the guerril¬
la infiltration routes and relieve besieged
outposts such as the one at Barikot,
manned by Kabul-regime troops and
Soviet advisers. Under virtual seige by
the mujahideen, Barikot could only be
resupplied by air. That situation had to
end and the Soviets also wanted to put
pressure on Pakistan which was in the
throes of its first election in many years.
Starting at 1200 on 26 January 1985,
elements of two Kabul-regime divisions
— the locally-based 9th Division and the
11th Division from Nangahar Province
— pushed northward to Asmar and from
there to Barikot. They were not without
support. Columns of camouflaged T-62
main battle tanks and BMP infantry
fighting vehicles clanked past the wreck¬
age of their predecessors on the Amar-
Barikot road. Fighter-bombers roared in
from Kabul and Bagram airfields, strik¬
ing villages near the road to interdict
guerrilla staging areas. Overhead were
the Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and
Mi-8 Hip transport ships, themselves
heavily armed. When the Mi-8s touched
down, the troopers moved out. Fit young
men in camouflage smocks moved
swiftly over the rocky terrain.
It was not until 1 February that this
force — estimated at 3,000 Kabul-re¬
gime soldiers, 3,000 militiamen, and
about 2,000 Soviets with 120 armored
vehicles — fought their way through to
Asmar, garrisoned by 4,000 Kabul-re¬
gime soldiers and six Soviet advisers.
Getting to their jumping-off point had
cost them five days and dozens of
casualties. Now, the full, awesome
panoply of the Russian Army was mov¬
ing slowly yet inexorably toward Bari¬
kot. It was all thoroughly planned. Noth¬
ing had been left to chance.
The guerrillas were making their own
plans to resist. A thousand mujahideen
were deployed between the Soviets and
their objective. Another three to four
thousand could reach the objective area
in a hurry if they were needed. Kunar,
near the border, can be reinforced by the
guerrillas relatively quickly. The guer¬
rillas included members of all the Pesha¬
war-based parties. Differences were put
aside for the duration of the crisis.
To secure the flanks of the armored
column the Soviets used helicopter-
dropped anti-personnel mines. Detach¬
ments would also take up positions on
the crests of the ridges that ran on both
sides of the road. Sometimes they would
clamber up from the road, covered only
part of the way by the guns of the tanks
and BMPs — the limited elevation of
their armament reflects their design for a
war in a country that is not as vertical as
Afghanistan. Frequently, the Soviets
would insert these covering detachments
by helicopter, extracting them as the col¬
umn passed.
Mounted BG-15 — held by Karen
McKay — shows how little bulk Russia’s
new grenade launcher adds to AK-74.
The Afghans call the men who came
out of the helicopters to secure the flanks
of the armored column commandon —
the Pushtu word borrowed from English.
They were, they say, not like the Soviet
soldiers, in roadbound columns, who
stick to their armored vehicles and show a
reluctance to meet the Afghans among
their native rocks and hills, where every
path is a trap for the unwary and a high¬
way for the adept. Instead, the comman¬
don bring the war to the Afghans, up
along the ridges or in the remote villages.
The column approached the village of
Jelala, about eight kilometers north of
Asmar, on 2 February* One of these
detachments, inserted by an Mi-8,
moved to take up a defensive position
near the highway. The Afghans were
waiting, between the obvious helicopter
landing zone and the crest. Like the men
they were waiting for, they were
changed from those who had fought the
opening battles of the war, five long
years before. These were not the local
farmers with heirloom rifles, but trained
guerrillas with new, clean, Kalash¬
nikovs and full bandoliers, deployed in
an L-shaped ambush. As ordered, they
held their fire until the commandon were
close, very close.
The surviving Soviets managed to
break contact in a mad minute of auto¬
matic and RPG fire and fled back to the
LZ. The Afghans knew that now the
Hinds would come, and not one village
but many villages would be bombed and
strafed . They also knew that more com-
mandons would come, and knew what
they would do to the men who had am¬
bushed their friends if they should catch
them in the same place. So, quickly
policing up the weapons, the motion¬
less, camouflaged forms remaining in
the kill zone, the Afghans moved on to
another position.
The BG-151 saw was taken from one
of those Russian bodies.
— David Isby
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 31
SOF AFRICA
BUSH
BOBBIES
Rhodesia’s British South
* Africa Police
OPs set by BSAP patrols monitored terr Mick Doyle
movement. Photo: Rhodesian Ministry of
Information
F OUR KIA. That was the official total of
casualties when the British South Afri¬
ca Police attacked a Selous Scouts patrol.
Fortunately for all concerned, there was a
plausible explanation: The BSAP hadn’t
meant to fire on Scouts. What would you
expect from bush veterans who finally track
down what they think is a group of known
terrs and find them partying around the
campfire making tempting targets of them¬
selves? Flickering firelight and fear do not
make for rapid, reliable identification.
In the aftermath, no one could blame the
BSAP. Running down and shooting up terrs
was our job. We were bound to do it well that
morning in 1978 when a retired BSAP
Sergeant Major phoned in a terrorist sighting
AFRICAN ADVENTURER
Mick Doyle is a very private, widely
traveled Australian.
to our base camp. Our Police Anti-Terrorist
Unit (PATU) took the call at Hartley Police
Camp, about 200 klicks southwest of Salis¬
bury. The retired veteran assured us rebels
were settling in near Hartley.
Inspector Ron Strang was duty officer at
Hartley that day. He got on the radio, called
in his reservist PATU men from their farms
and issued a warning order to his regulars
for a quick patrol. Within half an hour we
had assembled several PATU sticks, been
briefed, drawn the necessary equipment and
32 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Sold on SOF?
Subscribe & Save!
IF you're still buying SOF at a newsstand, paying 3 bucks a copy. ..IF you’re buying
SOF hit or miss, getting only the copies you remember to pick up.. .IF you’re committed
to SOF's tough, practical stand on military affairs and want to be part of it.. .IF you're
sincerely devoted to the principles of freedom and national defense that SOF broadcasts
for all the world to hear.. .Then you must — must — subscribe to SOF now!
Save Money
Subscribe to SOF for just one year and pay about $2 for
each issue and save money each time you read SOF.
Subscribe for 2 years and save even more — over $1
each issue.
As much as we know you like SOF, it doesn’t make
sense to pay more for it than you have to. Subscribe now
and save over $12 a year, $28 over 2 years. Get smart,
subscribe to SOF.
Get all of SOF,
like clockwork
You might get a kick out of doing things the hard way,
but buying SOF at newsstands is taking unnecessary
chances.
Guarantee that your copy is there every month, in your
mailbox. Why wait until it reaches the newsstands? Sub¬
scribe now and every issue of SOF will be delivered to
your door or your office.
Make sure you don’t miss important issues of SOF and
important insights into what’s going on around the globe.
Be safe, subscribe to SOF!
In August.. .these Special
10th Anniversary stories:
■ We’ll feature a special, personal message from Pub¬
lisher Robert K. Brown in which this colorful adventurer
and crusader will sum up a decade of commitment with
promises and insights about the future of SOF. Execu¬
tive Editor Dale Dye will review the principles which
have made SOF such a phenomenon in American pub¬
lishing in his “De-Brief" column.
■ The best and brightest of SOF’s get-involved, battlefield
reporting from Africa, Afghanistan, Central America, the
Middle East and Southeast Asia. For the first time, you’ll
be able to compare how it was when SOF first got in¬
volved in these areas with the current situation. It’s a
fascinating FLASHBACK.
■ We’ll give you a look behind the scenes at SOF and in¬
troduce you to the people who have made the magazine
what it has become over the past 10 years. You’ll get a
personal glimpse of the dedicated professionals who
cover the action, help train the people fighting for their
freedom around the world and — in their spare time —
put out a magazine with the reach and appeal of
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
Get satisfaction...
GUARANTEED!
You’re reading SOF right now. You know what it can de¬
liver. And now you know what to expect in the near future.
You know you can depend on SOF to tell it the way we
see it, the way you see it!
But we want to make sure you’re satisfied. That’s why
we offer our MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. If, for any
reason whatever, you’re dissatisfied, just cancel your sub¬
scription and we’ll refund the unused balance. That’s all
there is to it.
We believe that you’ll enjoy reading SOF with increased
interest in ... increased excitement about, .and, some¬
times, increased rage against.. .the subjects, people, gov¬
ernments and policies covered in SOF. We hope so be¬
cause that’s our philosophy — BE INVOLVED! And we
want you to be involved, too.
Subscribe to SOF... NOW!
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 33
formed a convoy to head for the enemy-held
African township.
A few safe klicks from the target area, we
climbed off mine-proofed trucks and ad¬
vanced in tight wedge formation through the
bush. Since our patrol was bound to have
some dealings with villagers, Inspector
Strang insured it contained both black and
white officers. A party of the former moved
forward to scout when they approached the
township tagged as a new terrorist base. The
rest of us in the main force holed up and
posted pickets.
When the black policemen returned from
their recce, they confirmed the old sergeant-
major’s report. They had spotted the terrs at
a huge piss-up. The beer was flowing like
spring water.
Everyone checked equipment and got
ready to rid Rhodesia of another communist
rebel band. Our PATU sticks swung into an
extended line and swept toward the hostile
township. From the earlier visit by the black
PATU patrolmen, the villagers had figured
something was in the wind. They had quiet¬
ly cleared out of the area and apparently
gave no warning to the terrs.
Cautiously, we moved the sweep line for¬
ward, entered the darkened village and ad¬
vanced on the terrorist party. We could see
men grouped around a blaring record play¬
er, carousing with teenage women and
swilling from buckets of beer.
“Easy meat.” One of the PATU patrol¬
men whispered and motioned for the
assault.
Snap-shooting our FALs from the shoul¬
der, we swept through the terrs. It was easy
meat as predicted. We cut into them like a
buzz-saw and turned to change magazines
when we had cleared the contact area. Leav¬
ing a defensive perimeter on the far side of
the kill-zone, we sent patrolmen back in to
check the damage. We had taken them com¬
pletely by surprise. There had been no
friendly casualties.
Wounded terrorists screamed and
pleaded for mercy ... some tried to pretend
they were Rhodesian soldiers. They were
wasting their time with men who’d seen the
quality of rebel mercy for innocent women
and children both black and white. The
wounded were turned into KIAs with quick
head shots. We stripped the bodies and re¬
covered what we suspected were important
enemy documents.
We policed up the bodies and their Soviet
weapons, marched to meet our transport and
headed for Hartley Police Camp. Regular
and reserve policemen commenced a piss-
up of their own to celebrate the victory. The
next morning we got the shocking news.
Major Stewart, a senior officer of the
Selous Scouts, visited Hartley Police Camp
and gathered the victorious PATU men for a
confidential briefing. He said some of the
“terrs” we had killed the day before were,
in fact, Selous Scouts. One of the men had
been a Bronze Cross winner and among the
most reliable men in the celebrated unit.
We were shocked. Our officers attempted
apologies but Stewart insisted they were not
“P.C.G.”-the Police Cross for
Conspicuous Gallantry, which was the
highest award of the British South Africa
Police.
14
Police Decoration for Gallantry was
second-highest BSAP award.
BSAP patch for graduates of mandatory
Police Anti-Terrorist Unit. Photo: Mick
Doyle
RIGHT: BSAP’s equivalent of SWAT: the
Urban Emergency Unit. Photo: The Outpost
necessary. He had investigated the incident
and discovered his Selous Scout, patrol —
composed entirely of black troopers who
could easily be mistaken for terrorists in
their unorthodox bush kit — had been in the
wrong area. A white Scouts officer re¬
sponsible for the patrol had made a tragic
map-reading error. Stewart was profession¬
al enough to end the briefing with compli¬
ments on our professionalism. It didn’t help
much.
The Major left Hartley camp and took his
dead Selous Scouts home for burial by their
Regiment. We were left with another brutal
example of how difficult and confusing the
war to save Rhodesia had become. Soldiers
paid dearly for any mistake in the bush.
The war was particularly tough on police¬
men who operated like soldiers but under
slightly different mandates. That was no
great revelation for the men of BSAP. We
were the only police “regiment” of the Brit¬
ish Empire or its subsequent colonies. The
unit was founded as a 500-man security force
by Cecil Rhodes, the man for whom
Rhodesia was named. The BSAP had been
on the sharp end of wars and anti-terrorist
activities in Africa since it was founded in
the late 1880s as the private security force of
the chartered British South Africa Company.
We had been granted the status of a Reg¬
iment of the British Empire by King Edward
VII for our part in the fighting during the
Cape Colony, Mafeking, Rhodesia, and
Transvaal campaigns of the Boer War. Reg¬
imental tradition was still very much alive
when I was appointed as a patrol officer in
the British South Africa Police in 1976. It
was more like joining a British Cavalry
Regiment of the 1920s than a modem police
force.
On joini ng, a recruit patrol officer did six
months of initial training including four
weeks OJT. In wartime Rhodesia, that
meant on-the-job training in the bush where
mistakes were marked with a bullet or
shrapnel scar. Our training as policemen
was an odd mixture of harsh reality and
what seemed like irrelevant fantasy. We
were just beginning to feel like real bush-
beasts when the regimental commander
called our training unit in for horseback
riding lessons.
That’s the way things worked in the
BSAP. “Gentlemen will ride!” They will
also run until their bloody legs are ready to
fall off. The BSAP’s unique form of ball-
busting PT included the standard tourist
jaunt of Salisbury each day: on foot, at the
double, with heavy logs over our shoulders.
It was hard for many of us to see how
close-order drill — or 1 ‘square bashing’ ’ —
would help us become better policemen.
Still we sweated through ceremonial drill at
Light Infantry pace. Under the heading of
“musketry” we got training on everything
but the musket. We learned to handle and
maintain the FN FAL, UZ1, Walther P-38,
riot guns and LMGs, assorted mines, Clay-
34 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
JULY 85
sol»ii:h or nun iwc 35
mores and the 60mm mortar. Then came
visual tracking, African languages, combat
medicine, and control of close air support.
Morris Depot turned out soldiers who hap¬
pened to wear a badge.
After passing out of training at the depot,
the shiny-new patrol officer could expect to
be posted to any one of Rhodesia’s five
provinces. Each Province had a Police Anti-
Terrorist Unit and it was mandatory for all
regular patrol officers to be PATU members
despite the work-load from his regular
assignment. That meant more training.
Before being accepted into PATU, all
applicants, both regular and reservist, had
to successfully complete the PATU selec¬
tion course. If a reservist failed to make
grade, he could laugh it off and return to his
police reserve unit. But a regular who failed
was required to return and keep at it until he
got.it right.
Advanced training courses were run by
PATU in each province on an as-required
basis. They included squad leadership,
heavy weapons, enemy weapons, advanced
land navigation, advanced combat medi¬
cine, and refresher COIN sessions for all
PATU sticks before a six-week bush trip
billed as a graduation exercise.
PATU officers were generally a unique
breed of bush cat. 1 remember the PATU
CO for Operation Grapple in the Midlands
Province war zone. He was a nasty little
Irishman — an ex-Brit Parachute Regiment
type — who delighted in making life un¬
necessarily miserable at his selection course
in Selukwe south of Gwelo. Like most of his
contemporaries, he turned out a superior
product from his training courses and he
made a point of going on ops as often as he
could.
We had several Americans in the PATU
units of the BSAP, There was Mike Breen, a
North Carolina native who had served in
Vietnam as a Special Forces medic. He ran
the PATU detachments operating out of
Gatooma and was also heavily involved in
Operation Grapple. Mike was well-liked.
Not only was his training realistic and en¬
joyable, but he also made a habit of regular¬
ly going on deployments to keep his own
skills up to par.
AIL BSAP regulars on postings to District
(bush) Police Camps were constantly on
standby for a PATU call-out. And the regu¬
lars in the “town police” did their six-week
PATU bush trips — together with BSAP
reservists — alternating from six weeks in
town on routine police work.
PATU was formed in 1966 and was the
brain-child of a senior police officer named
Bill Bailey, formerly of the Long Range
Desert Group. PATU sticks were five-man
volunteer units that served part-time. They
were usually composed of four Europeans
(regulars and reservists) and an African
policeman (tracker/interpreter).
A PATU stick’s equipment included a
light machine gun (usually a 7.62mm
NATO converted Bren, heavy-barreled FN
FAL or a captured communist RPD), South
African R1 rifles (FN FAL), rifle grenades
36 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
LEFT: “Rhodesian Navy” — actually a
BSAP boat patrol — loads for patrol on
Lake Kariba. Photo: The Outpost
(Zulu 42 HE frags and the “flying phos” or
WP), hand grenades (Mark 2s and the uni¬
versal favorite — White Phos), full medic
pack (including drips and drugs) and a
radio. In common with all Security Forces
units, the stick leader carried the radio and
often the medic pack too.
The reason the Rhodesidns all operated in
“sticks” of about a half-squad was simple
and pragmatic. That number was all an
Alouette helicopter could carry. They were
effective despite the lack of manpower.
With the firepower of an MG and the tacti¬
cal control afforded by a radio, a stick was a
formidable combat unit capable of both in¬
dependent and coordinated action.
The role of PATU included clandestine
OPs (observation posts), aggressive infan¬
try patrolling by day, routine ambushing by
night, and reacting to terrorist incidents
within the province where they worked.
PATU sticks were involved in a number of
significant actions and their members were
frequently recognized for heroic perform¬
ance in combat.
The Police Cross for Conspicuous Gal¬
lantry (PCG) was the highest award the
BSAP could give for heroism in action
against the enemy. Only four were ever
awarded and one went to a PATU member.
Patrol Officer Derrick Edwards, a native-
born Rhodesian, won the PCG while on
patrol in 1977.
His stick was crossing open ground when
they came under fire from a terrorist band.
One of his comrades was wounded and fell
in an exposed position. Derrick broke cover
and braved intense fire to retrieve him and
save his life. He was wounded in the thigh
but still managed to crawl out of the kill-
zone dragging his buddy with him. He then
returned to the open ground where he was
hit twice more but still managed to recover
the stick’s precious radio. Derrick refused
morphine insisting it should be used for the
man he had saved and used the radio to
summon Casevac. It was not an unusual
situation for a BSAP officer serving with
PATU.
The BSAP had toughness, tradition and
experience. We’d made our bones in com¬
bat but there was more to the units than
simple combat muscle. Military intelli¬
gence operations in Rhodesia were almost
entirely a BSAP show. The Army’s infant
Rhodesian Intelligence Corps was not
formed until late in the war. They were
unable to do much more than keep the vari¬
ous commanders’ maps marked and up-to-
date with intel coming in from SB (Special
Branch) and CID (Criminal Investigation
Department) units of the BSAP.
The job assigned SB and CID detach¬
ments was particularly hazardous. Many
LEFT: Rhodie civilian convoys were
well-known, but few knew the BSAP ran
and protected them. Photo: The Outpost
(BSAP magazine)
BSAP on parade; author is second from the
CO’s right. Photo: courtesy Mick Doyle
Rhodesian terrs were better-armed and
dressed — by the communists, of course —
than most African rebel groups. Photo:
courtesy Mick Doyle
policemen were KIA while sneaking into
villages at night to snatch enemy sympathiz¬
ers for interrogation. Others were ambushed
by terrs while visiting informers. SB and
CID both maintained members on full-time
field intelligence work. They also rotated
other detectives from police work in the
towns, to the bush for six-week deploy¬
ments. Because of the network built up over
many years of war and peace the BSAP was
able to provide invaluable information to
Combined Operations on a regular basis.
This effort was further supplemented by
the Police Forensic Science Office. Spent
AK cartridges were always collected from
the scene of every terrorist incident and
submitted to that office for microscopic ex¬
amination and evaluation. Apparently every
individual weapon’s firing pin strikes a car¬
tridge differently, and in this way it is possi¬
ble to identify each weapon individually and
trace the movement of that weapon — and
the terrorist band of which it was part —
from incident to incident. This allowed SB
and CID to observe terrorist movement pat¬
terns and alert area security for possible
attacks. Enemy weapons recovered from
successful contacts allowed the forensic sci¬
entists to identify the weapon with a particu¬
lar gang which further enhanced the intel
picture.
Field reservists of the BSAP did invalu¬
able work through the last years of the
Rhodesian war. While many police reserv¬
ists served in the horse-mounted and PATU
detachments, the Police Reservist Air
Wing, the Marine Division of the Rhode¬
sian Navy, the “A” Reserve, and the vari¬
ous Specialist Units (armorers, radio techni¬
cians, mortar mechanics), most were the
field reserve. It was these field reservists
who freed so many regular policemen and
soldiers from the necessary, but less de¬
manding, duties of manning road blocks
and protecting installations. They also
served in the bush at remote police camps as
drivers, radio operators, supervisors of lo¬
cal African labor units and in general garri¬
son duties; again freeing the younger regu¬
lar and national service policemen for oper¬
ational duties against the terrorists.
Late in the war, following terrorist bomb
incidents in the city of Salisbury in 1977,
cordon and search operations were initiated on
a daily basis. These delicate and dangerous
operations were generally commanded by
BSAP regulars and executed by reservists.
I recall one incident where a field reserv¬
ist was guarding a ranch in the Operational
Area and was subsequently decorated with
the Police Decoration for Gallantry (the
BSAP’s lesser medal for valor).
Field reservist Marc de Robillard was on
duty at the ranch on 30 October 1976 when
three terrorists armed with rifles and fixed
bayonets entered the homestead. He was
unarmed but immediately engaged the
nearest terrorist. With his left hand he
grabbed the terrorist’s rifle by the bayonet
and with his right hand he grabbed the butt
and attempted to get possession. The terror¬
ist fired the rifle, shooting off four fingers of
the field reservist’s left hand. But by retain¬
ing his grip with his right hand, field reserv¬
ist de Robillard disarmed the terrorist.
Using the captured weapon he engaged
the other two terrorists who were firing in¬
side the house, forcing all three to flee.
Undeterred by his injury, de Robillard then
armed himself with his own rifle, cocked it
with his foot and again engaged the terror¬
ists, who were still firing. He wounded one,
causing him to abandon his weapon. Out-
Continued on page SO
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 37
SOF CENTRAL AMERICA
HIND
HUNTERS
f
SOF Trains FDN in Anti-Helo Ops
Text and photos by James L. Pate
“They say that the resistance move¬
ment in northern Nicaragua is made up
mainly of those who used to belong to
Somoza’s National Guard. There may
have been some validity to that in the
beginning. But it is no longer true.... We
are a strong army with a very broad base
of support With or without the U.S. gov¬
ernment, you can't deny our existence.
We are a reality. We have a strong military
infrastructure. And we will not simply go
away. ”
— Colonel Enrique Bermudez,
Commanding
Democratic Force of Nicaragua (FDN)
D EEPLY rutted and treacherously
slippery, the clay ribbon snaking
through tropical mountain rainforests is a
lame excuse for a road. It rollercoasters
through Honduran hinterlands toward
Nicaragua’s northern border, disappear¬
ing into most rivers and creeks in its path,
always emerging on the opposite bank.
But for thousands of Nicaraguan refugees
sworn to regain their homeland — and a
few U.S. volunteers — this muddy path is
a Crusader Causeway to Glory: Victory or
Death
Our dark-skinned Indian driver has the
classic look of a Third World guerrilla
fighter. With an AK-47 at his side and
long, black hair flowing from under a jaun¬
ty black beret, he reminds me of Che
Guevara. Dale Dye, SOF’s Executive Edi¬
tor, and I begin calling him “Che.” But we
don’t let him in on our private joke, one
that helps ease the dark, droning bore¬
dom on the rugged nighttime sojourn
from Tegucigalpa to the Nicaraguan fron¬
tier. As a dedicated member of the FDN, it
is doubtful “Che” would be amused by
his likeness to the Marxist folk hero.
With a folded copy of SOF’s anti-helo
ops publication under his arm, this
FDN Special Forces squad leader is
absorbed in a reprint of the CIA
guerrilla-warfare manual distributed
through the good graces of Bob Brown.
Our eight-hour trip to the FDN’s AO has
some interesting features. Relief from our
bruising ride in the back of the old, unmuf¬
fled jeep turns to tension soon after we
leave the first mountain range and enter a
stretch of relatively flat, straight road.
“Che” cuts the lights, pushes the throttle
toward full bore and we careen loudly
through the darkness. Our interpreter,
Payo, explains that we are in a no-man’s
land, literally riding on the edge along a
stretch of road called “Blood Alley.”
Occupying the ridge overlooking the
road to our immediate left are Honduran
artillery positions. Across the clear, flat
savannah to our right Russian-equipped
troops of Nicaragua’s communist regime
are dug in on a heavily forested rise. As we
approach the bottom of one particularly
long dip in the road, Payo points out the
spot where on 21 June 1983, Dial Torger-
son of the Los Angeles Times and Richard
Cross, a freelance photographer, were
killed when their jeep hit a mine. I briefly
flip on my red-lensed flashlight to look at
the rusting floor of the jeep. No armor
there. 1 wish I had a helmet and flak jacket
— to sit on.
We clear our last military checkpoint in
Las Trojes, back on relatively safe ground,
and head out of the little farm village back
into the mountains. Just three days be¬
fore, two U.S. State Department person¬
nel headed for the FDN front in northern
Nicaragua were turned back to Tegucigal¬
pa at this roadblock. Access to the camps
by journalists has also been limited.
But our SOF team — myself, Dye and
Special Projects Director Alex McColi —
have something the FDN badly wants,
intelligence on field-expedient methods
for taking out the Soviets’ deadly Mi-24
helicopter gunship. That makes wafting us
through a matter of priority for them.
38 SOIJHEH OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
There have been reports regarding the
FDN’s possession of an unspecified type
and number of surface-to-air missiles for
knocking down Mi-24s, NATO codename
“Hind.” But we never see nor hear men¬
tion of the SAMs while in the camps.
Whatever the case, the FDN’s special-
operations unit, Echo Company, is anx¬
ious for our training.
Despite the late hour, difficult route and
general danger of traveling in a war zone,
we pass more and more campesinos
trudging up the muddy mountain road as
we approach the border area. Many are
carrying small bundles on their backs. We
learn later that these poor farmers, some
Sandinista deserters and many war
orphans and draft dodgers from Nicara
gua are headed to a nearby FDN enlist¬
ment camp. They intend to join in the fight
against the communist piricuacos.
Payo says the driver has estimated we
have only another two or three hours be¬
fore reaching our destination.
ACROSS THE RIO COCO
AWN breaks like a fiery egg drop¬
ping into a skillet It oozes between
the mountaintops and over the fog-veiled
valley to the east. Caked almost from
head to toe in heavy clay mud after mining
a road-construction site, the seven com¬
mandos lie still, itching to complete their
mission and get back to camp. Five days in
the jungle have been rough. First they had
to dodge enemy patrols and then recon
the target. There had been little to eat and
nothing to protect them from the chilling
nightly rainshowers. The next few minutes
will spell success or failure for their
ambush; life or death for them. They bad¬
ly want the waiting to be over.
A large diesel engine grumbles to life a
kilometer behind them. Mounds of red
Commandante Gustavo fires
H&K flare launcher as Dye and
FDN Special Forces unit watch.
FDN commandos do
familiarization-firing of
line-throwing gun donated by
SOF.
dirt and lush, green jungle mark the fur¬
thest progress of a military road as con¬
struction crews push it toward the Coco
River and the Nicaraguan-Honduran bor¬
der. The commando squad had watched
quietly from their hide as the work crews
passed them just before sunrise.
A deafening explosion sends jungle
birds into startled flight as insect noises
abruptly halt. From the construction site,
the commandos hear screams of pain and
then shouts of alarm. The first of two U.S.
M15 anti-tank mines has done its work on
the bulldozer. Despite the tension, the
squad leader smiles and makes a final
check on his men. Two of them on the
opposite side of the road signal they are
ready. Their wait is a short one.
Two East German troop trucks, both
open on the back and mounting machine
guns, come barreling up the muddy clay
road. As they draw abreast of the hidden
commandos, the second anti-tank mine is
command detonated. The lead vehicle
erupts into flame, smoke, flying steel and
pitching bodies. It veers toward a ditch
and rolls on its side in the road, effectively
blocking the path of the second truck.
As the second truck backs up and tries
to turn around in the narrow space — its
machine-gunner wheeling wildly around
looking for a target — the commando
team opens up with an RPD, AKs and
FALs. The machine-gunner and driver are
the first to fall. Surviving Sandinista troops
vault over the truck’s side and — using the
vehicle for cover — drop back toward a
drainage culvert behind them. As they
reach their supposed sanctuary, two hid¬
den troopers of Echo Company, FDN. set
off three Claymore mines, unleashing an
ear-splitting hailstorm of shrapnel along
the length of the ditch.
For two more minutes, the FDN com-
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 39
mandos pour automatic fire into the kill
zone, then melt quickly into the surround¬
ing jungle, humping toward their border
camp.
AT THE CP
^ ¥ TE are expecting one of two kinds
W of attack,” Colonel Enrique Ber¬
mudez tells the SOF team during a briefing
on our first morning in the FDN border com¬
mand post '‘Sooner there will be artillery
attacks, or later on, if that doesn’t happen,
we’ll very probably get hit by the Hind heli¬
copters. That is where your people can be
very helpful, by providing information on
how to defeat this gunship. We also need
training in how to set better boobytraps,
mines and demolitions.”
The briefing is interrupted by his G-2.
Bermudez smiles as he reads the prelimi¬
nary report, radioed in by an FDN com¬
mando unit. A raid against a Sandinista
road-construction site the night before has
killed about 30 of the enemy, eight when a
bulldozer hit a mine and 22 more when
the Sandinista cavalry charged into a wait¬
ing FDN ambush.
“We are out of Sandinista artillery
range right here,” Bermudez explains.
“But prisoners and Sandinista deserters
have told us they are building a road
through the jungle to move up some of the
long-range howitzers they get from the
Russians. That will put our supply bases in
range. Right now (early February) that’s
the biggest tactical worry we have. Our
Special Forces company has been send¬
ing out small operations to delay or stop
progress on this road.
“These small-ambush tactics have
been particularly effective against the
Sandinistas,” he says. “We are trying to
compensate for a lack of enough ammuni¬
tion. But one problem is that while we
have been able to get explosives, we have
trouble getting them in the large quantities
we really need.”
Colonel McCoIl, an Army reservist
whose background includes Special
Forces service in Vietnam, offers a sugges¬
tion. By all means keep up the small-unit
interdiction ops, using what explosives are
available. But the FDN might also consid¬
er harrassment tactics like planting phony
mines. Old hubcaps buried in the road will
be picked up by mine detectors. All will be
treated with the same caution and dread
as if they were real, and some hubcaps
could have Soviet grenades with zero-
delay fuses under them. And FDN snipers
could help keep things exciting for the
poor Sandinista slobs who have to figure
out what’s hot and what’s not
Dye mentions the possibility of buying
commercially available dynamite as a sub¬
stitute for plastic explosives. I remind them
that areas adjacent to both sides of the
border have heavy agricultural activity
and that ammonium nitrate fertilizer
makes a nice, big boom when properly
mixed with kerosene.
Our briefing is interrupted again. Every¬
Dye uses training aid to teach
FDN’s 12.7mm AA gunners.
Colonel Enrique Bermudez, field
commander for the Democratic
Force of Nicaragua.
one’s attention is riveted on two roosters
making low clucking noises as they square
off in the road next to the CP. Passing
troops pause to watch. Quick bets are
made. The nearby click-clacking of head¬
quarters typists stops. A white-faced
monkey tied to the steering column inside
an abandoned jeep checks his incessant
chatter and a coati, Central American
cousin to a raccoon, rises up on his
haunches to peer out of his cage. Only the
generator noise from an adjacent com¬
munications truck continues unabated.
Before the stronger cock can deliver the
coup de grace , the birds are separated.
While the relief from garrison boredom is
appreciated, their potential as a con¬
tinuing food source is too valuable to let
them kill each other for mere sport.
Bermudez shows a wry smile as he
turns to again face his visitors. “It is very
interesting how two cocks cannot be in the
same yard together. They remind me of
Eden Pastora fighting with his own ego.”
The analogy is not lost on us. Dye im¬
mediately seizes the opening to bring up the
cooperation — or lack of it — between the
FDN, Nicaragua’s largest and strongest re¬
sistance movement, and the Revolutionary
Democratic Alliance (ARDE), founded by
Pastora. Unfortunately, Pastora’s refusal to
cooperate with other resistance movements
has hurt the cause the former Sandinista
assistant defense minister so loudly claims to
support The unnecessary loss of significant
strategic gains in southern Nicaragua —
most without shots being fired — and the
near-collapse of ARDE are widely blamed
on Pastora’s tactical incompetence. His
most dedicated troops split to organize Re¬
formed ARDE under El Negro Chamorro.
“Jose Robelo extends his best wishes
40 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
from southern Nicaragua,” says Dye,
passing on the salutations of one Re¬
formed ARDE leader. Trying to foster at
least some logistical cooperation between
the two resistance factions, he informs
Bermudez that Robelo’s troops have an
abundance of 60mm mortar ammo, but
no tubes with which to shoot it. The easily
portable, indirect-fire weapons are essen¬
tial to successfully wage a hit-hard-and-
run-fast unconventional war. “I know the
FDN needs some LAWs, which is a sur¬
plus item in Reformed ARDE’s arsenal.
What about a trade, 60mm tubes for some
LAWs?”
Bermudez says he has no mortar tubes
to spare. “We do want to have a closer
relationship with that ARDE group,
though,” he adds.
During SOF’s training mission in south¬
ern Nicaragua, we had seen other signs of
cooperation. Several FDN troopers had
been transferred to the faltering southern
front. Because they are on the whole bet¬
ter-trained and more experienced than
their Reformed ARDE counterparts, most
became squad and platoon leaders. At
least one former FDN fighter has become
an ARDE field commander.
Bermudez calls an aide to summon the
CO of Echo Company, the FDN’s Special
Forces unit As he issues instructions, we
watch scores of passing troopers fall into
formation in front of three large garrison
tents for an issue of new equipment Gre¬
nades, boots, ammo, rifles, canteens and
ponchos are handed out to men and a few
women. Crate markings indicate the equip¬
ment is from Argentina, Israel and Canada.
These freedom fighters are long on morale
and motivation but short on resources. As
usual, some troops still are waiting in line
While this FDN soldier is lucky
enough to get new boots, he will
have to wear them without socks.
Blister City, here I come.
when the stores are depleted.
Before the cutoff of US. government
assistance, the Central Intelligence Agen¬
cy handled all of the FDN’s resupply logis¬
tics Since that cutoff the FDN has lost
most of its air assets, forcing reliance on
overland convoys through Honduran
territory. That’s slow and available space
is severely limited. It’s also a source of
diplomatic pressure on Honduras from
the communist regime in Nicaragua. It’s
becoming harder and harder for the Hon¬
durans to look the other way.
When the Agency support ended, FDN
tacticians had to leam logistics. They’ve
done well enough on their own to keep
the majority of the troops supplied for
low-intensity operations. If the various
factions can put their agreement for a
coordinated command structure to work,
the FDN would be the logical choice to
handle logistics for the resistance.
Other leftover CIA problems are not
overcome as easily. For instance, the FDN
is the proud owner of two Soviet 120mm
mortars which markings indicate were
captured in Lebanon from the Palestine
Liberation Organization. Unfortunately,
The Company delivered these long-
range, indirect-fire mortars without sights,
trainers or a means to haul the towed
weapons. What ammo was provided has
mostly been expended on a sort of “fling
one out there and see if we happen to hit
something” gunnery drill. These weapons
— even if they had sights — are not what
guerrilla fighters require. Size and trans¬
port problems give them questionable
value in the type of rough-terrain, mobile
war the FDN must wage. And Kentucky
windage and long-range artillery do not
need to be included in the same sentence.
The CIA also delivered various types of
weapons and equipment unfamiliar to the
FDN and other resistance movements.
While the supplies were badly needed, no
instruction in their proper deployment
and use was provided. One example is the
M-15 anti-tank mine. The FDN. under¬
standably afraid of the mines until private
sector trainers taught commandos how to
arm and deploy them, had stockpiled the
weapons.
In his sessions with Bermudez and other
FDN leaders, Dye emphasizes the need to
fight unconventionally. When Bermudez
expresses his need for helicopters, Dye
acknowledges this requirement but re¬
minds him that this never stopped the
Vietnamese from transporting millions of
tons of supplies down the Ho Chi Minh
Trail. Perhaps it would be a good idea to
make porters out of the men stuck in garri¬
son because they lack weapons and
ammo to actually fight.
Bermudez introduces us to Comman-
dante Gustavo, CO of the FDN’s Echo
Company, officially designated Comman¬
do de Operaciones Espedales. Gustavo, a
good-humored, thoughtful man, was a
medical student before the revolution. He
escorts us to his bivouac, proudly explain-
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 41
ing as we lug our gear up the steep hill
what his men had done the previous night
in ambushing the Sandinista road¬
building crew.
As Gustavo musters his men under the
chow shelter, Dye unpacks the gear we
brought to donate to the Special Forces
company. This includes a Heckler & Koch
flare launcher with long-range magne¬
sium flares and a line-throwing gun manu¬
factured by the Naval Company Inc. of
Doylestown, Pa. While I pass out Soldier
of Fortune reprints of the CIA guerrilla
warfare manual, Dye circulates Spanish
translations of the brochure he wrote on
the Hind helicopter. It had been specially
prepared for this mission by Art Director
Craig Nunn.
Without being too specific, the
brochure identifies the strengths and
weaknesses of the Hind, as well as outlin¬
ing its possible weapons configurations
and providing pertinent technical data.
The manual also contains well-defined
ideas for using Hind weaknesses to de¬
stroy the aircraft.
The D-model provided to the Nicara¬
guans almost always mounts four pods,
each containing up to 32 57mm rockets. It
can also carry four laser-guided anti-tank
missiles with ranges of up to 6.5 miles.
Under the nose is a four-barreled 12.7mm
machine gun. The Hind’s high speed and
the heavy, bathtub-shaped armor under¬
neath make it almost impregnable to
ground fire.
The Hind’s three main weaknesses are
its weak rotor head, its tendency to wallow
in translational flight (moving from hover
to forward flight or vice versa) and a hy¬
draulic system that leaks flammable fluid
profusely.
Freedom fighters in Afghanistan shoot
down Hinds by positioning 12.7mm
Echo Company gunners duck as
81mm mortar lobs a round
downrange.
No one is too old or too young to
join in the FDN’s fight to reclaim
Nicaragua from the communists,
as illustrated by these troops
waiting to draw supplies and
equipment.
machine guns on mountain crests and fir¬
ing down on the rotor heads as the heli¬
copter cruises through valleys. There is
very little armor anywhere on the top side
of a Hind. Steel or Kevlar cable fired into
the rotors as this bird moves into or out of
an LZ can also bring an abrupt end to
flight. That’s what prompted employment
of the line-throwing device.
Although the gunner and pilot ride in a
pressurized cabin, the crew chief often
opens the top half of the side hatch to
provide increased ventilation and visibil¬
ity. That’s a likely tactic in Nicaragua’s
muggy climate. A magnesium flare fired
through this hatch may ignite leaking hy¬
draulic fluid. An onboard fire means the
pilot must set down immediately.
We spend all afternoon letting each
trooper learn to load and fire the special
weapons. Dye winds up by going over the
Hind data once again and how it can be
used against the piricuacos.
COW A WOO
OJRJANSEN
;V, '
LX
Various patches worn by troops in
the Democratic Force of Nicaragua.
The two FDN patches are fairly
standard and worn regularly when
they are available. The “Nicaragua”
patch and the flag pin below are
seen in both the FDN and
Revolutionary Democratic Alliance
(ARDE) ranks. The upper left and
two bottom patches designate
specific units within the FDN. The
two bottom symbols are worn by the
FDN's revered Commando de
Operaciones Especiales designated
as Echo Company. The bottom
version, homemade with denim and
hand-painted, is more common,
while the official issue, bottom
right, is extremely rare, Photo*. Dale
Andrade.
42 SOUlCtt OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
LET THE DONOR
BEWARE
By a Staff Member of
Refugee Relief
International, Inc.
Many Soldier of Fortune readers
contribute generously to Refugee Re¬
lief International, Inc. The need is great
and our appreciation greater still. Most
SOF readers know us as a volunteer
group of medical professionals who go
into Third World hot spots to deliver
health care and instruction to those
wounded or displaced by communist
insurgency. While RRO is not the only
such organization active in Central
America — other worthy ones exist r—
it pays the potential contributor to do
some checking if he or she is not thor¬
oughly familiar with a particular group.
One thing you can count bn with
RR11: Refugee Relief does not provide
aid and comfort to the communist
enemy. Other organizations can't
make the same claim.
Some tax-free foundations are set
up specifically to run aid to the Marx¬
ists. and don't hesitate to misrepresent
themselves or lie outright to garner
what support they can to, spread the
terrorist revolution.
Here is a case in point
A friend and professional colleague
of an RR11 staff member.<— although
if s not his real name, we’ll call him Dr.
Stanley — knows of RRIFs work in
Central America and is sympathetic to
the effort. Because Dr. Stanley was
moving his medical practice to a clinic
that has newer equipment, he decided
to donate his old but serviceable X-ray
machine to help hard-pressed Free¬
dom Fighters struggling to oust Nicara¬
gua’s military-dominated communist
junta.
Although he mentioned the dona¬
tion to his friend at Refugee Relief, the
friend was out of town when it canie
time to make the transaction. Wanting
to donate his machine before the tax
year ended. Dr. Stanley decided to
pick an alternate group. The good doc¬
tor contacted a well-publicized West
Coast organization, the Central Amer¬
ica Medical Relief Fund.
The CAMRF is part of the Commit¬
tee for Health Rights in Central Amer¬
ica (CHRICA,) a project operated
under the auspices of the Capp Street
Foundation iin San Francisco.
Although he had been given the im¬
pression that his donation would be
sent to help those fighting against Ma¬
nagua’s communist regime. Dr. Stan¬
ley later received a letter from CHRI-
CA thanking him for the X-ray
machine, which the group said - <
will be of great use to the health-care
Dr. John Peters, a board member
and medical adviser to Refugee
Relief International, Inc.
%etSbrto^l who receive it in Nicar-
■%
According to the Capp Street
Foundation, all supplies and equip¬
ment received by the CAMRF are dis¬
tributed byan ecumenical church
organization in Managua, Nicaragua
... the official affiliate of the National
Council of Churches in Nicaragua/’
That likely means the valuable equip¬
ment will wind up being used by some
Sandinista surgeon.
Because RR11 staff members see
firsthand the atrocities committed
against innocent civilians by commu¬
nist insurgents, they have rather strong
feelings about giving any aid to the
Nicaraguan or any other communist
government. Of course staff members
have treated wounded enemy soldiers.
Once a poor bastard is shot, he be¬
comes in our eyes a patient. He is no
longer a soldier, but a human being
who needs help.
One can not say as much for the
communists. The most recent example
is the shooting of Maj. Arthur D.
Nicholson Jr., who was photographing
a military installation in East Germany
from an unrestricted zone when he was
shot by a Soviet sentry. The guard de¬
nied the wounded major any medical
treatment for almost an hour. By then
Nicholson had bled to death.
But trying to take a more magnani¬
mous view, Dr. Stanley reasoned that
although his donated X-ray machine
went to the wrong side in Nicaragua's
civil war, maybe it would still help re¬
lieve some human suffering?
Think again, Doc.
About a week after he made the
donation, Dr. Stanley was phoned by a
friend who buys, reconditions and re¬
sells X-ray equipment. The business¬
man told Stanley he had been con¬
tacted by a group wanting to sell a used
X-ray unit and accessories. The market
value was set at $12,000. But they
were anxious to sell for some fast cash,
so they offered v *a real good deal’ 1 at
$ 8 , 000 .
Guess who was selling this X-ray
equipment and where they got it? The
X-ray equipment dealer knew the unit
well. He had previously sold the same
machine to Dr. Stanley. And now ‘mi¬
slead of sending it to Central America,
as they specifically led Dr. Stanley to
believe, CHRICA was trying to sell the
donated X-ray unit in the United
States.
A call to CHRICA by SOF resulted in
a recorded message offering tickets at
$10 each to see a performance of the
San Francisco Mime Troop. The re¬
cording did not specify who or what
would benefit from the ticket sales. The
message went on to offer copies of a
report, ‘'Help in the War Against Nica¬
ragua/ 5 which would lead one to be¬
lieve “against the Sandinistas/ 5 But
the message which was spieled off
so quickly as to be barely understand¬
able — went on to say that the “cam¬
paign to free medical teams kidnapped
by the contras continues/* Contra is a
generic Marxist term meaning ^coun¬
terrevolutionary” snd is used by the
Uninformed to label those who oppose
the communist tyranny of the Sandi-
nista regime.
But while CHRICA 5 s recorded mes¬
sage answers the obvious, it gives rise
to some more disturbing questions.
First, why did the Committee for
Health Rights in Central America tell
Dr. Stanley specifically that they were
sending his donated machine to Cen¬
tra] America and then try to sell it in
California?
Second, to what purpose is the
money used once the donated equip¬
ment is sold? Does it pay salaries or
administrative expenses for a bunch of
U.S. liberals who deliberately misrep¬
resent themselves? Do such funds go
directly to the Sandinista government,
which spends over half of Nicaragua’s
annual national income op its war
machine, or perhaps to Marxist guerril¬
las trying to overthrow a duly-elected
government in El Salvador?
We wish we could give you some
answers. But Arthur Simon, the execu¬
tive director of the Capp Street Foun¬
dation. which financially sponsors
CHRICA, failed to return any of SOF's
phone calls asking for comment on Dr,
Stanley's complaint.
Once Dr. Stanley learned the truth
about the matter, he obviously was not
happy. But CHRICA did not return the
donation. The medical equipment
dealer declined to purchase it, so pre¬
sumably the Committee for Health
Rights in Central America is trying to
sell it elsewhere.
Obviously some groups will tell the
would-be benefactor anything to in¬
crease the take. So for those feeling
altruistic and wanting to help the real
fighters for freedom in Central Amer¬
ica. let the donor beware.
JULY 85
soloifii of FoinwF 43
Dye breaks out his tinker-toy training
aid the next morning to help instruct
12.7mm machine-gun crews in anti¬
aircraft gunnery. He’s perversely proud of
a wooden helicopter model he has doc¬
tored with tape to show the armor con¬
figuration on a Hind. We move over to
anti-aircraft positions on an adjacent hill.
Dye blanches over the position of these
weapons—DShK-38s in sandbagged pits
— and explains that they need to be rede¬
ployed from the topographic crest to the
military crest of the hill and camouflaged.
As the FDN has them deployed they make
excellent targets for an air attack.
Field-expedient anti-aircraft sights are
explained to the troops. We shape some
with coat hangers and mount them on the
guns. Using Dye’s small helicopter, one
trooper “flies” around the pit while others
take turns learning to use the new sights
that enable a gunner to properly lead his
airborne target, ft’s not long before Echo
Company has the hang of keeping the
aircraft in the make-shift ring of the air
sights.
Dye’s class on the 81mm mortar is
more abbreviated than AA training, but
not by his choice. We fire ilium rounds to
conserve HE ammo and to avoid any pos¬
sibility of firing into friendly patrols. A
cease-fire is ordered when the FDN’s G-2
notifies us that Sandinista patrols are in
the area and there is a possibility they
might use the flares to pinpoint our posi¬
tion. We use what little time is left showing
the commandos how to dismantle Corn-
Bloc grenades and identify their fuse de¬
lay. We find a few ^pro-delay fuses and
demonstrate various ways they can be
used as booby traps.
Commandante Gustavo then proudly
shows us mines his men have recovered
Armed with FN FALs, AKs and one Uzi,
a long-range reconnaissance patrol of
the FDN’s Special Forces company
returns to camp.
ROCKETS HIT FDN
CAMP
As this SOF issue went to press,
Sandinista troops hit the main FDN
base compound in the Nicaragua-
Honduras border area with Soviet-
made 122mm rockets, killing one free¬
dom Fighter and wounding 10.
Eyewitnesses said the attack began
with an assault on an FDN forward
camp. After taking the hill on which it
was located, the communists fired six
to seven volleys of 10 or 12 rounds
each. The rockets were the shorter of
the two Soviet 122mm versions,
weighing about 100 pounds, 1.9
meters long, with a range of about
11km. Both versions have 43-pound
TNT warheads. Impacts were scat¬
tered and damage limited as about 30
more rockets were fired through the
night.
The attack came as Congress pre¬
pared to vote on whether to give
Nicaragua’s freedom fighters another
$14 million, a paltry sum by U.S. for¬
eign aid standards. President
Reagan’s request was endorsed by
several Central American and Euro¬
pean nations. But aid was denied.
with the help of a Sandinista deserter. The
anti-personnel devices, which had been
planted to kill freedom fighters, will now
be turned on the communists. Cyrillic
markings indicate the plastic explosive
and detonators were made in Russia,
while the wooden containers were of
Cuban origin.
We present eager Echo Company
members with SOF patches. As a token of
his gratitude. Gustavo gives Dye a prop¬
aganda biography of Augusto Cesar San-
dino, dead guerrilla and figurehead of the
communist revolution in Nicaragua. Gus¬
tavo, who inscribes it to Dye. had taken it
off the body of a piricuaco which he had
dispatched to the realm of all good com¬
munists.
Just prior to evening chow on our last
night in camp. Col. Bermudez provides us
with a jeep and driver to take us to the
FDN recruit training camp. During our
stay we have been struck by the large
numbers of people pouring into the camp
wanting to join up. Many are already living
in plastic-covered hootches, and men with
wives and infants in tow are not uncom¬
mon. My most personally disconcerting
experience is trying to fall asleep at night
while listening to the sound of heavy
machine-gun fire mixed with the cries of
babies.
The boot camp is rough but neat Many of
the recruits are painfully young, some train¬
ing with sticks because no real weapons are
available. Most are ragged and barefoot.
Those lucky enough to have boots usually
don’t have socks. We informally survey the
trainees about their reasons for joining the
FDN. Most say they fled Sandinista oppres¬
sion or Nicaragua’s comprehensive draft.
They would rather die fighting against the
communists than with them.
44 SOLIHFIl OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Typical of their sentiments — but much
more well-articulated — is the story told
by one veteran boot-camp trainer whose
nom de guerre is Ramiro. He was a col¬
lege student studying business in Mana¬
gua before the communists crushed his
hopes and dreams.
“Life under Somoza was bad, 11 Ramiro
says matter-of-factly. “But the Sandinistas
make Somoza look like a saint. Somoza
was greedy and never took care of the
people, so the social reforms offered by
the Sandinistas looked very attractive.
Many people naturally hoped and be¬
lieved the Sandinistas were genuinely in¬
terested in helping the poor better their
lot. And they have taught many to read
and write who had no hope of that before.
But they use the reading and writing pro¬
gram mainly to brainwash citizens with
communist propaganda. Human rights
were violated under Somoza. But these
violations remained in the realm of the
outrageous. Under the piricuacos the reg¬
ular violation of human rights has become
an accepted means of controlling the
population through terrorism, implicit and
explicit. Political pressure is applied by the
Sandinistas on the population as a whole
while a few people are singled out and
killed as an example to others.”
That’s hardly the party line you’d ex¬
pect of a Somoza loyalist. It is indicative of
the plight of 16,000 FDN freedom fighters
and other Nicaraguan anti-communists.
Back at the CP we ask Bermudez how
he responds to charges by U.S. liberals
that his is an illegitimate cause of right-
wing extremists who kill innocent civilians
in Nicaragua. Checking a list of his 53
regional commanders, he indicates only
12 had served in Somoza’s National
Guard. His estimate is that only one per¬
cent of his total troop strength have similar
experience.
“The Sandinistas are very good liars,”
Bermudez says concerning the charges of
brutality. “They take militia members with
minimal training and other civilians with
no training, put them in uniforms, give
them weapons and send them out in mili¬
tary trucks to collect crops. When we
attack, they say we kill innocent civilians.
That happened last year when some
women were killed.
“If the FDN is defeated, it will be a big
victory for the Sandinistas and commu¬
nists everywhere,” he says. “A defeat of
the FDN will be a defeat for all other resis¬
tance groups in Nicaragua because we are
putting the most pressure on the Sandinis¬
tas, We have been fighting for eight
months now without U.S. support. Our
morale is high, though our resources are
low. But we will find a way. We have
nothing left to lose and everything to gain.
And people just like us from all over Nica¬
ragua are joining the cause. But to win we
need material and financial support. We
deserve it. Because we are fighting for
democracy, not just for ourselves, but for
freedom-loving people everywhere. The
An FDN boot-camp bulletin board is
Illustrated with photos cut out of the
previous month’s Soldier of Fortune. A
pleasantly surprised Capt. Dye takes
note.
Sandinistas are fighting for the interests of
the Soviet Union and the imperalist goals
of all communists. We must win or die
trying. There is no better way.
“You see, no one understood until it
was too late that these people in Managua
want complete and absolute control of
everything around them. That is a founda¬
tion of their evil philosophy, much to our
sorrow. But most Nicaraguans couldn’t
see that during the Sandinista insurgency.
‘No, that happened in Cuba, 1 they
thought, ‘but it won’t happen in Nicara¬
gua. We are different.’ ” Bermudez
laughs at the cruel irony of this misguided
thinking.
These thoughts circle through my head
as we bump back toward the Honduran
capital, mixed with the memory of those
babies crying in the night and wonder at
what the future could hold for them. We
pass more campesinos on the road
headed for the FDN border camps. Many
are not yet adolescents. As we slow down
to negotiate a treacherous curve outside
the last FDN checkpoint, we are
“ambushed” by a bunch of camp urchins
playing war. It’s the only game in their
squalid town, the only game they know. A
few have rusted AKs with bolts removed.
A boy of no more than 5 or 6 crouches in a
muddy ditch as we pass, pulling an im¬
aginary lanyard and yelling “Boom!” The
tragedy for these dirty, ragged kids is the
fuzzy line between childhood and the real
world. All too quickly it is no longer a
game. ^
INSIDE NICARAGUA:
A RETROSPECTIVE
EDITOR S NOTE: Dr. Jose Wences-
lao Mayorga, now an attorney in Cali¬
fornia, served for 24 years in Nicara¬
gua's National Guard. But on 28 Au¬
gust 1978, the former lieutenant col¬
onel and other high-ranking colleagues
were — in Mayorga s words —
“seriously implicated in a military plot
to overthrow the Commander-in-Chief
of the Guardia Nacionale, General
Anastasio Somoza Debayle." As
Mayorga explains it, the plot was aimed
at making “profound changes in the
military structures of the Army ; with a
definitive separation of the Somoza
family from the high commands (and)
to proceed then to total . . democratic
and pluralist processes. ”
ft didn't work. Somoza was tipped
off by one of the supposed co-
conspirators, Lieutenant Humberto
Zuniga , who was in reality a member of
Somoza's Office of National Security.
Once that happened, Mayorga says,
“the opportunity to save Nicaragua
from falling into the hands of a subver¬
sive movement — the Sandino Front
of National Liberation — was lost M
The right-wing military dictator was
overthrown a few months later by a
broad-based political coalition spear¬
headed by the Sandinistas . Once in
power ; Mayorga points out ; the Sandi¬
nistas took only six months to consoli¬
date their political gains by isolating the
groups that had help put diem in power :
Mayorga says he realized the end was
near when “the radicalization of the
communist system started, separating
from the most important government
posts all persons with democratic ten¬
dencies, assuming for the Sandinista
hierarchy total control of the government
and thus closing the way to democracy
and national conciliation. ”
After helping Eden Pastora, a former
high-ranking Sandinista government
official, set up his Revolutionary Demo¬
cratic Alliance (ARDE) in southern Nica¬
ragua, Mayorga became disenchanted
with Pastora’s poor leadership and
moved to the United States t where he
continues to support the resistance
movement This is his assessment of the
situation inside Nicaragua and among
the resistance movements.
Despite recent appearances that they
are more willing to negotiate, the Sandi¬
nista government actually has been dra¬
matically upping the stakes in Nicara¬
gua’s civil war. True to the history of
communist insurgent movements, they
take whatever measures are necessary to
buy more time in which to consolidate
their power. The steady flood of Com-
Continued on page 91
JULY 85
SOIJIIFII OF FORTUNE 45
SOF THAILAND
/Yf
V HANOI
HITS HARD
AND HOLDS
A New Wrinkle Along the
Thai-Cambodian Border
by David Mills and Dale Andrade
I TS been six years
since the Vietnamese
Army pushed the Khmer
Rouge out of Cambodia
and no one has yet spot¬
ted any light at the end
of the violent tunnel.
That doesn’t mean
fiercely nationalistic
Cambodians aren’t trying
to kick the Viets out of
their land. It simply indi¬
cates they are having
one hell of a time doing
it.
A coalition of three re¬
sistance groups has
been formed to meet the
threat of continuing Viet¬
namese occupation and
it has managed to keep
Hanoi from feeling too
secure. Unfortunately, it
hasn’t been enough to
keep the military strate¬
gists of the Vietnamese
high command from
planning yet another dry-
season offensive to fol¬
low the inevitable South¬
east Asian monsoons.
That keeps the rebels
from feeling too secure
in their border sanc¬
tuaries.
When the jungle and
brushlands of the area
dry out after the long
monsoon each year, the
Vietnamese invaders
strike at guerrilla bases
wedged in the rugged
mountains on the Thai-
Cambodian border. They
typically withdraw before
the next rains flood out
their logistical pipelines.
Last year things hap¬
pened differently.
The Vietnamese
attacked earlier — be¬
fore the monsoons had
ended — and hit harder
than they had in pre¬
vious offensives. They
made strategic gains in
the unexpected move
and they appear to have
no intention of backing
off. Such combat action
on the border has been
monitored closely by the
international press. Re¬
porters tend to swarm
the refugee camps with
the coming of every dry
season but they miss —
understandably — the
significance of the des¬
perate fighting in volatile
sectors of Cambodia’s
interior.
Word of short, sharp
engagements filters back
to the border by word of
mouth. Guerrilla bands
returning from the interior
tell of derailed trains and
lightning raids on Viet¬
namese outposts around
Cambodia’s huge lake,
Tonle Sap. How much is
fabrication and whether
or not such strikes have
had any effect on the
Vietnamese occupation
forces is hard to judge.
No journalists have been
allowed into the interior
with the rebels.
It is clear that some
significant action con¬
tinues against Viet¬
namese forces garri¬
soned around Phnom
Penh. Khmer Rouge
raids on areas outside
the city have made life
tense for the Viets. De¬
spite such nagging
pressure from the rebels,
no one is betting the
Vietnamese will not
stage another dry-
season offensive this
year. Cambodian resis¬
tance leaders fear it will
be bigger and more bru¬
tal than previous pushes
because of the pressure
they have exerted on the
troops based throughout
the interior. This year the
Vietnamese will not be
satisfied to simply drive
the Cambodian rebels
out of. static positions,
torch villages and then
pull back. Hanoi wants
the painful rebel thorn
removed for good. That
became evident in the
1984 fighting.
No one knows for sure
what was going on in the
think tanks of Hanoi’s
version of the Pentagon,
but it’s likely military
planners had two main
objectives for the 1984
offensive in Cambodia.
They wanted to crush
the military apparatus of
the resistance move¬
ments and prevent sup¬
plies from reaching fight¬
ers in the interior.
Secondly — and most
importantly — Hanoi
wanted to force a politi¬
cal collapse within the
resistance coalition. The
Vietnamese have seen
the ranks of the non¬
communist forces bulge
with recruits recently and
that’s worrisome.
They have not totally
succeeded in either re¬
gard but coalition forces
have suffered some
staggering damage.
Although they have done
little significant harm to
the Vietnamese-backed
forces in Cambodia, the
Khmer People’s National
Liberation Front (KPNLF)
was a particular target
during the last push. The
offensive opened in late
November with attacks
on KPNLF formations
providing clear indication
that Hanoi was playing
hardball this time.
With an armed
strength of about 15,000,
the KPNLF was the
logical choice to bear the
brunt of the Vietnamese
charge. Officered by ex¬
members of the Lon Nol
regime, the KPNLF was
not up for the rigors of a
mobile defense and
commanders were ham¬
pered by large numbers
46 SOLDIER OE FORTUNE
JULY 85
of civilians in their
camps. They chose a
disastrous strategy of
static defense against a
superior enemy force.
Critics charged that
some officers of the
KPNLF were more in¬
terested in tending their
rose gardens, watching
videos and drinking
Singha beer than waging
war against the Viet¬
namese invaders. What¬
ever the reasoning, the
KPNLF dug in along the
border and prepared for
a seige. It wasn’t long in
coming.
On Chrismas Day
1984, a massive artillery
bombardment struck the
main KPNLF base at
RIGHT: Before the fall of
their base at Nong Chan,
the KPNLF had plenty of
time for parades and PR.
Now they have had to
re-examine their strategy.
Photo: William Nojay
Ampil. The barrage was
followed by an infantry
assault supported by
some 35 tanks. Ampil
defenders reeled and the
Vietnamese quickly over¬
ran the camp sending
floods of rebels and refu¬
gees over the Thai bor¬
der. The KPNLF ex¬
pected the Viets would
pull back and gloat but
the troops didn’t leave
Ampil. They dug in and
formed a perimeter
along the border just in¬
side Cambodian territory.
From the looks of
things in the area now,
the Vietnamese are
planning to stay. Rumors
of an Asian version of
the Berlin Wall have
been circulating. The
Viets have reportedly
built a barrier along the
ABOVE: KPNLF Special
Forces commander,
Colonel Pann Thay, is
rethinking his military
tactics in the face of the
new Vietnamese
offensive. Photo: David
Mills
JULY 85
r3m m
border to keep the
KPNLF from returning.
They supposedly em¬
ployed forced labor in¬
cluding Thais kidnapped
from the border areas in
Trat Province. It’s not
likely that they can suc¬
cessfully seal a border
stretching more than 700
miles, but they may be
able to force the guerril¬
las to move through
choke points where the
Viets can exercise some
control over supplies and
equipment reaching the
interior.
On the dirty end of the
stick is the KPNLF sol¬
dier. He has become
somewhat disillusioned
by the lack of activity
and badly needs motiva¬
tion. He needs evidence
of a new resistance
strategy. His morale is
low and KPNLF com¬
manders are faced with
significant problems in
lifting it.
It’s a new wrinkle.
Morale was never diffi¬
cult to maintain when the
KPNLF pushed Viet¬
namese dry-season
offensives back with rel¬
ative ease. Following the
defeat of 1984 and the
subsequent inactivity,
guerrilla morale has be¬
come the KPNLF’s pri¬
mary concern. Unfortu¬
nately, they’ve got other
problems.
The loss of Ampil and
seven smaller bases
effectively finished the
KPNLF as a fighting
force for at least the rest
of 1985. They may never
recover to their former
strength. After the dust
of battle settled, it be¬
came apparent that the
strategy of defending
border strongholds and
housing massive refugee
populations was ineffec¬
tive. The KPNLF lead¬
ership seems to have
shifted back to a more
classic guerrilla warfare
strategy but they’ve had
little chance to show the
troops that it will work. If
they intend to improve
troop morale and be¬
come a gadfly for the
Viets to consider
seriously, the KPNLF will
have to bring the war to
48 SOLI)IKIl OF FORTUNE
the communist govern¬
ment inside Cambodia.
Fortunately for the
KPNLF, the military
strategy lesson has been
relatively cheap. Their
leader, Son Sann, claims
that casualties in the re¬
treat from Ampil
amounted to only six
killed and 83 wounded.
According to his figures,
total casualties from
fighting in all KPNLF
areas during 1984
totaled a relatively paltry
103 killed and 464
wounded. It’s a tiny
bright spot but the Viet¬
namese continue to
breathe down their
necks and the KPNLF
must do something
tangible to get back in
the fight.
In hard military terms
that means moving the
KPNLF’s 15,000 or so
fighters away from
vulnerable positions
along the border and
into the interior. While
such a move will leave
the refugee camps vir¬
tually undefended, the
KPNLF has little to worry
about in that regard. The
Vietnamese would gain
nothing but bad press
RIGHT: The KPNLF has
attracted a lot of attention
as a viable
non-communist
alternative to both the
Vietnamese-controlled
government and the
Khmer Rouge. After the
latest dry-season
offensive, though, their
future may be in doubt.
Photo: William Nojay
around the world by
attacking defenseless
civilians. It’s defecate or
vacate the receptacle at
this point. In the words
of one ranking spokes¬
man, the “KPNLF armed
forces must be away
from the border. Period.”
That’s going to be a
tough task for the guer¬
rillas. I discovered why
during some depressing
ABOVE: An RPG-armed
Khmer resistance fighter
gazes out over the
territory that separates
the Vietnamese Army
from the Thai border.
Photo: David Mills
days earlier this year
when I visited the
squalid refugee camps
that scar the border area
like urban slums.
Rationed water and little
food are about all the
refugees can expect.
Still they swarm to the
refuge. They spend most
of a typical day standing
in long, silent lines for
water and food giving up
their precious place only
when the Vietnamese
lob artillery in their midst.
Naturally, it’s a little hard
to find happy faces.
Hard-core KPNLF units
stage patrols from the
camps but not everyone
who wears the guerrilla
mantle is anxious to get
into the fight. I noticed
many unarmed guerrillas
hanging around the
camps. While both the
Thais and the KPNLF
dismiss any reports of
large-scale desertions,
other sources claim more
than 1,000 KPNLF fight¬
ers have decided to lay
down their arms and be¬
come refugees. That
supports the contention
of low morale and marks
an important considera¬
tion concerning the dis¬
placed Cambodians.
Family ties are the
most important aspect of
Khmer life. Many guerril¬
las were happy to be in¬
volved in a nine-to-five
war which allowed them
to return to their families
in the base camps at
night. That sort of service
is no longer possible and
the prospect of being
separated from wives
and children for an indefi¬
nite period while chasing
Viet troops through the
bush is intimidating. It re¬
mains to be seen if
KPNLF leaders can de¬
feat such culturally influ¬
enced attitudes. If they
can get the soldiers
away from their families
and out into the bush
where they can fight like
true guerrillas, some
tangible military gains
may follow. A solid vic¬
tory would surely add ce¬
ment to the KPNLF ranks
and improve morale. The
situation is decidedly
drffere nt among the re¬
maining two factions of
the coalition.
The small Sihanoukist
group and the commu¬
nist Khmer Rouge have
beat similar problems.
Deliberately discouraging
family ties in favor of
communist doctrine
among the 30,000 troops
under its influence, the
KR leadership does not
have to worry about
fighting men scurrying
back over the Thai bor¬
der to join their depen¬
dents. The KPNLF lacks
the political fervor to
copy the tactic, but they
have seen the light.
The question along
the border these days is
whether or not they can
keep it lit and continue
to put pressure on the
Vietnamese invaders.
Meanwhile, the Khmer
Rouge (KR) has had to
deal with more practical
problems following the
shock of the 1984 Viet¬
namese offensive. After
a brief lull, the Viets re¬
grouped and continued
attacks on the KR base
area of Phnom Malai. It
was a predictable move.
The Khmer Rouge has
carried on the same
brand of insurgency that
has characterized their
fighting since they de¬
feated the Lon Nol gov¬
ernment in the 1970s.
It’s dirty, deadly guerrilla
warfare in the classic
sense.
Although the Viet¬
namese ousted the
Khmer Rouge in 1979,
they never destroyed
their political or military
base. Today, the KR has
30-50,000 troops under
arms and they are con¬
sidered a highly disci¬
plined, well-trained force.
The KR attacks military
and economic targets
and then melts away into
the Cambodian hinter¬
lands. Active in all the
provinces of Cambodia,
the KR has fo be recog¬
nized as the real military
threat to Hanoi despite
their reputation as the
murderers of millions of
their own people be¬
tween 1975 and 1978.
Even the Vietnamese
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 49
admit that they are up
against a professional
fighting force in the KR.
In January of 1984, the
KR stepped up its guer¬
rilla campaign all over
Cambodia hoping to dis¬
rupt the People’s Repub¬
lic of Kampuchea’s
(PRK) celebration of the
fifth anniversary of their
ascent to power. It
marked the culmination
of their own 1983-84
dry-season military
strategy. KR leaders par¬
ticularly wanted to in¬
crease pressure on the
Phnom Penh govern¬
ment and seize strategic
areas such as the coast¬
al province of Koh Kong
in western Cambodia.
RIGHT: The strongest
group in the resistance,
the communist Khmer
Rouge, probably has the
best chance of beating
back the Vietnamese. This
KR trooper holds his M79
grenade launcher during
the peaceful days before
the Vietnamese offensive.
Photo: David Mills
Koh Kong has been
the scene of nearly con¬
tinuous fighting between
the KR and the Viet¬
namese since 1979. But
in late 1983, the KR
stepped up the action
striking at outposts and
Vietnamese garrisons.
Attacks also increased in
or near the provincial
capitals of Siem Reap,
Battambang, Kompong
Thom and Pursat. The
ball was in the Viet¬
namese court.
In response to KR
attacks, PRK and Viet¬
namese forces launched
a series of military
sweeps. These were fol¬
lowed by an operation in
late 1983, largely in
western Cambodia, to
ensure the security of
the 7 January celebra¬
tions. According to the
Vietnamese, the opera¬
tion was a success and
it did seem to stifle KR
activity for a while.
ABOVE: KPNLF troops
patrol the area around the
Thai border for signs of
Vietnamese activity.
Photo: William Nojay
Machine-gun
emplacements like this
KPNLF redoubt may look
good, but they offer little
protection against
Vietnamese heavy
artillery. Photo: William
Nojay
A second sweep in the
beginning of 1984 con¬
centrated on the areas
north, west and east of
the Tonle Sap. This time
the KR managed to hold
their own and the com¬
munists launched a final
sweep on 25 March
1984. It was directed at
border provinces from
Koh Kong in the south to
Prey Vihear in the north.
It made news in the
West because the fight¬
ing spilled over into That
territory on several occa¬
sions. Thai troops guard¬
ing the border were
quickly reinforced.
After jabbing at the KR
and delivering a less-
than-staggering blow,
the Vietnamese dug in
and concentrated on a
propaganda campaign
designed to attract coali¬
tion deserters. The KR
watched the action in
KPNLF areas with some
trepidation. It was ob¬
vious to them that after
the Vietnamese had
finished dismembering
the KPNLF at Ampil,
they would turn their full
fury on Phnom Maiai.
That’s precisely what
happened. The KR was
better prepared to han¬
dle the onslaught than
the KPNLF but they had
a problem.
Hanoi opened its ad¬
vance on the KR on 27
January from the south
with the 59th Division
backed by one regiment
from the 5th Division and
one from the 9th.
Although the terrain was
rugged, the Vietnamese
threw some Soviet-built
T-54 tanks at Phnom
Malai. With most of the
KR forces massed
against the northern bor¬
der of the camp near the
settlements of Phum
Thmei, the move
appeared to catch the
communist fighters off
guard.
From their position on
the Thai border, the KR
had previously decided
to meet the Vietnamese
threat in an entirely dif¬
ferent manner than any
of the other resistance
groups. They considered
the border to be of only
secondary importance.
More important in their
calculations was the
broad operational belt
around the Tonle Sap —
an area they had given
primary importance to
since 1980. To the KR,
success in combat is a
matter of how many sol¬
diers are fighting deep
inside their occupied
homeland rather than
how many are holed up
in some border enclave.
The Vietnamese were
well aware of KR tactics
and their attack on
Phnom Malai was partly
50 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
designed to pull KR
guerrillas from the in¬
terior back to stand and
defend the Phnom Malai
base complex. The ruse
didn’t draw many KR
guerrillas from deep in¬
side Cambodia, but a
few were pulled into the
fight. A party of KR fight¬
ers turned up in the
Phnom Malai area to
help defend the base.
Asked why they looked
so exhausted, they re¬
plied that they had just
returned from the Bat-
tambang area where
other bitter engagements
were taking place.
After days of bitter
fighting and heavy shell¬
ing, the bases at Phnom
Malai fell, forcing some
40,000 Khmer Rouge ci¬
vilians into Thailand and
boosting the refugee
population to around
250,000. On the diplo¬
matic front the ASEAN
countries urged in¬
creased military aid to
the coalition. The call for
help was aimed mostly
at the U.S. which has
supplied humanitarian
aid but so far has re¬
sisted sending the coali¬
tion military supplies.
The non-communist
countries aren’t the only
ones throwing their
weight into the fray. Chi¬
na has also been playing
FROM THE ASHES OF DEFEAT
Sometimes it’s hard to know who’s running the show
along the Cambodian border. Few names have
emerged from the confusing coalition of anti-
Vietnamese forces to become household words in the
West. Most obscure are the military leaders of the anti¬
communist KPNLF.
Most KPNLF officers are former Khmer Republic sol¬
diers who fought for the ill-fated Lon Nol regime before it
fell in 1975. They include men like General Sak Sut-
sakhan who served as Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces, Chief of the General Staff and as the last
Chief of State of the Khmer Republic. Like most high-
ranking members of the Royal Khmer Army, he trained
at the French Military Academy and at various war
colleges in the U.S, He’s back on top of a military heap
these days but facing far-different command problems.
Sak Sutsakhan is currently the Military Commander and
Vice President of the KPNLF,
His office was in a rustic command post wedged into
the contested turf along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Now he’s virtually baseless but not hopeless. When the
Vietnamese overran the KPNLF strongholds in late
1984, Sak Sutsakhan was forced to move to Bangkok
and try to reorganize his shattered command. He fig¬
ures the trouncing his troops took may be the mold
which shapes their future.
Sak Sutsakhan has always been an outspoken advo¬
cate of a traditional guerrilla struggle. After years of
fighting the Khmer Rouge, he knows the value of such
tactics. And he’s trying to convince his fighters to adopt
them.
As United Nations Border Relief Officials prepared to
evacuate 62,000 Khmer civilians from Khao-I-Din (Red
Hill) to a safer camp, Sak Sutsakhan made a suprise
visit. Speaking to his people through a bullhorn, he told
them not give up the struggle and offered hope for a
bright future. I managed to put a few questions to him.
SOF: What does the future hold for the KPNLF?
SS: They will continue the struggle—but fighting as true
guerrillas. Mistakes have been made in the past and
they now need time to retrain before carrying the fight
into Cambodia.
SOF: What place do you see for the Khmer Rouge in the
future?
SS: The Khmer Rouge is the most powerful group in the
coalition, It is now not so hard-line communist and the
West must realize that this is a struggle by the Cambo¬
dian people against the Vietnamese.
SOF: Approximately how many Vietnamese are in
Cambodia? "
SS: There are over 800,000 Vietnamese civilians in
Cambodia. Add to these the 180,000 Cambodian troops
and you have a Vietnamese-Cambodian ratio of 4:1. In
10 years’ time the Khmers will have almost ceased to
exist as a people.
SOF: What is the supply situation like for the coalition?
General Sak Sutsakhan, a key KPNLF military leader,
has long been an advocate of a true guerrilla
strategy for the Khmer resistance. Photo: David
Mills
SS: We are well-supplied with arms and ammunition
although we have no heavy weaponry to counter the
heavy arty and tanks of the Vietnamese. Only 82mm
and 85mm against 105mm, 122mm and 130mm
weapons. Singapore sends some arms to the KPNLF
but China is the main support for all the groups.
SOF: What form of support does the West give to the
KPNLF?
SS: The main support has so far been in the form of aid
to the refugees.
SOF: In what areas do the KPNLF need help?
SS: Training. Most the the Khmers are willing to fight,
just as our civilians wish to return to their country.
As foreign press crews descended on the general, it
became harder to be heard above the din of hurled
questions. Sak Sutsakhan soon tired of it too. He rolled
off in his car toward the next camp.
Aid has become the central theme of the KPNLF’s bid
to stay in the insurgency game. The Chinese have kept
the Khmer Rouge generously equipped but the KPNLF
has had to be content with leftover gear. U.S. and
ASEAN pressure on Peking is the only reason that the
KPNLF gets any Chinese aid at all. But that doesn’t
mean that Washington is ready to arm the rebels. The
State Department has consistently refused to back any
of the groups.
AH is not lost, though. The KPNLF have their own aid
scheme. Any private citizen who wants to give more
than just moral support to help KPNLF rebels can send
money. It doesn’t take much. Forty dollars will buy two
uniforms, one pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, knap¬
sack, plastic sheet and a scarf for one soldier. That’s not
a bad deal.
The address is KPNLF, P.O. Box 22-25, Ramintra
Post Office, Bangkok 10220 Thailand. — David Mills
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 51
a role in the coalition
game. Peking has sup¬
plied the KR since the
Vietnamese invasion in
1978 and has threatened
to teach the Vietnamese
a “second lesson” if they
continue their attacks on
the border outposts.
That threat is likely to re¬
main empty because
Peking will go to great
lengths to maintain the
status quo in their rela¬
tions with the Soviets —
the main supplier of
arms and financial aid to
the Vietnamese. The
visit of Soviet First Dep¬
uty Premier Ivan Arkhi¬
pov to China had plenty
to do with the uncharac¬
teristic calm in Peking
over the situation in
Cambodia.
Sihanouk’s band of
3,000 fighters may have
hoped to escape notice
in this latest offensive
but they were also
pressured by the Viets.
In March 1985, the Viet¬
namese turned their
muscle on the Sihanouk
loyalists based at Green
Hill. Under a heavy mid¬
night shelling, they
pushed the last of the
rebels over the Thai bor¬
der. That’s where they
remain and there is little
potential for them to get
effectively back into the
fight this year. They are
facing the same problem
with moving through the
Vietnamese formation on
the border as the
KPNLF.
It is still too early to
predict the final outcome
of this latest offensive,
but it is obvious the con¬
sequences will be more
far-reaching than they
have following previous
actions. The ASEAN
countries will continue to
BORDER OUTING
Minus the infamous “Five O’clock Follies” staged by
American information officers for journalists covering
the war, the routine for reporters watching the situation
in Cambodia is strikingly similar to what it was in Viet¬
nam. Journalists lounge around hotel lobbies while the
urban hustle and bustle swirls around them. The war in
Cambodia — like the previous one on Vietnamese bat¬
tlefields— seems remote from the situation in Bangkok.
For the media, it’s a weekend war.
They emerge from hotels in Bangkok and flock to the
refugee camps perched precariously on the Thai-
Cambodian border to file regular situation reports.
These forays require them to be out of bed at 0430, grab
a cup of coffee and watch the first flush of dawn paint the
Cjiao Phrya river and the rice barges and ferries that dot
its placid surface.
For the majority of the 200 or so journalists covering
the fighting during a Vietnamese dry-season offensive,
the ritual has become monotonous. Hired cars and hotel
limos nose onto the highways leading out of Bangkok
and crawl south to the border area. It’s become so
routine that the traditionally mortal struggle between
journalists for scoops is set aside until everyone has a
ride to the playground. No fair sneaking out of the city to
work on your own.
Even if a reporter tried to get a leg up on the competi¬
tion, the Thais would prevent it. There is no longer
unrestricted access of the type that was available during
the early days of the offensive. Now the rigorously con¬
trolled border is opened by the Thais at 0800. Reporters
are herded in and out of the area with the rising and
setting of the sun.
The first control point is sopie 35 klicks from the border
town of Aranyaprathet. Most reporters relax at this point.
The Thais often take hours before issuing a pass to
proceed The journalists take the opportunity to swap
gossip and tips about where the action is. Once a pass is
issued they can move to the Task Force 80 area where
they discover which parts of the border are open to
visitors. Those are usually not where the action is.
Checkpoints dot all the main road junctions and none
of them have the slightest idea what the others are
doing. It’s a frustrating experience for a reporter cleared
at one checkpoint for a visit to Nong Prue to discover at a
second stop that the Thais have changed their minds.
The only solution is to find a cooperative border patrol
officer. In Thai the word for “responsibility” can also
mean “a bad thing.” It figures. No one wants to be the
one to give the OK. Usually, the man who can do so has
“just left for the next camp,”
When and if you do reach the resistance camps, Thai
officials in the area will frequently frustrate your
attempts to nail down information. One Saturday I visit¬
ed one of the main evacuation centers at Sanror Cha-
Ngan where 32,000 KPNLF civilians from Ampil had
taken refuge from the fighting on the other side of the
border. As a party of journalists arrived, the Vietnamese
lobbed a few 130mm shells into the area just to keep
everyone alert.
It’s a common occurence and the refugees should be
used to it. But every time a shell drops into the area, they
gather up their belongings and prepare to flee. The Thai
Rangers and UNBRO are generally able to calm them
and prevent panic. Camera crews in the camp got foot¬
age of the.shelling but arriving journalists were turned
away and told that there had been no shelling. Don’t
bother to believe your eyes or seek confirming sources.
A couple of slow weeks later we headed for the Khmer
Rouge camp of Nong Prue. After the usual checkpoint
hassles we got into the general area. As if to thwart our
good luck, our driver got lost and it took us a few more
hours to get to the camp via a back road. One of my
constant fears in Cambodia was surviving being shelled
or shot at only to die at the hands of some Kamikaze taxi
driver I discovered later that the taxis were the least of
the dangers for journalists.
52 vSOMHEIt Ol FORTUNE
JULY 85
push for more military
aid to the non¬
communist factions, but
the loss of the border
bases has done con¬
siderable damage to the
coalition's credibility.
ASEAN has continued to
appeal for more arms
from the Western world
but to no avail. Washing¬
ton still refuses to arm
any of the factions be¬
cause they feel that
would simply harden atti¬
tudes all around and do
nothing to resolve the
situation.
Militarily, the KPNLF is
in the more dire straits.
They must rethink and
implement an entirely
different military strategy.
And they must do it in
the face of improved
Vietnamese lines of
communication and con¬
trol along the border.
The Vietnamese have
every intention of holding
their ground and cutting
supply routes to the in¬
terior. Most analysts
agree that Vietnam’s
strategy will push toward
domination of the border
areas throughout the en¬
tire year rather than
moving off at the onset
of the monsoon. They’ll
remain in the border
area, but that will leave
them vulnerable to
attacks from guerrilla
units — mostly KR —
who are operating from
the interior.
Talk of a Vietnamese
withdrawal that would
leave the insurgency
problem in the hands of
the Heng Samrin gov¬
ernment has circulated
for the last few years.
Although this possibility
has been bantered about
by diplomats and jour¬
nalists, veteran observ¬
ers give it little serious
consideration. Hanoi has
never been prone to sur¬
render hard-won gains.
A Vietnamese withdraw¬
al would only serve to
strengthen resistance
claims that they will
eventually win the war.
Finally, while the
Cambodian military
situation ebbs and flows,
it stagnates under a po¬
litical deadlock. KPNLF
leaders have lost face in
this latest failure and it’s
unlikely they can rally
during 1985.
For the Khmer Rouge
1985 is bound to be
business as usual.
Attack when in strength,
withdraw when outnum¬
bered: the same tactics
they have employed in
the past. Although they
have lost much of their
base at Phnom Malai,
KR formations have
managed to survive and
will be around to fight
another day. The KR re¬
main the only viable mili¬
tary force in the coalition
and will play a significant
part of any future settle¬
ment in Cambodia.
While Hanoi has failed
to deliver a mortal blow
to the Cambodian resis¬
tance, it has seized the
political initiative by step¬
ping up the tempo on the
battlefield. By launching
the offensive two months
earlier than in previous
years, Vietnam seems to
have caught everybody
off guard. The burden of
combat credibility is no
longer on Hanoi. It has
shifted to the coalition —
which now must rebuild
its morale — and to
ASEAN which must mini¬
mize the damage done
among prospective allies
in the fight to oust the
Vietnamese from Cam¬
bodia. ^
After the successful Vietnamese dry-season
offensive, Khmer refugees were forced in record
numbers over the Thai border. Photo: David Mills
At Nong Prue we encountered a curious bunch of
refugees who were separated from the rest of the home¬
less mob. Tagging along behind them was a group of
Thai Rangers trying their hardest not to took like armed
guards. They were decidedly camera-shy. Some cov¬
ered their faces while others threw stories at me.
A truck pulled up and started to unload sacks of
hamburger buns. I moved in to take some close-ups.
The Thai Rangers escort party made it clear that we
were off-limits here. We argued while the KR troopers
proceeded to divide the bags of buns. The Thais de¬
manded that we leave. Facing the muzzles of their
weapons, we did.
The next day we returned to the border and tried to get
back into Nong Prue. A Viet attack was inevitable and
large refugee populations were being moved to safer
locations. The Thais had put out guard posts every few
meters along the camp perimeter and we were caught.
A burst of gunfire snapped the air and, taking advantage
of the confusion, we split up and scurried into the camp. I
ran toward a drainage ditch in time to witness two Rang¬
ers hauling a KR boy out of the water by his hair. My
camera naturally snapped up to my eye. The Rangers
yelled at me and tried to knock my camera away. I
wound up focusing on the muzzle of an Ml 6.
“No photos! No photos!” Right.
They made me sit on the ground with my hands on top
of my head until they decided what to do. After a few
minutes of chattering among themselves, they threw me
out of the camp. On the way out I saw a couple of
Vietnamese prisoners being brought into the camp for
interrogation. Blindfolded and stripped to the waist they
would be questioned while the camp population
watched. I learned it wasn't unusual for two or three to
come across every week. Many undoubtedly were spies
but most are southern Vietnamese who say they’re tired
of fighting Hanoi’s war. *
When the border closes down with the setting sun, the
journalists head back to Aranyaprathet and congregate
in the Bamboo Bar. This delightful little hangout pros¬
pers because it’s in the right place at the right time. The
proprietor caters to the needs of the press visiting the
border. Reporters can try to milk relief officials for in¬
formation and soothe their frustrations with cold beer.
That usually results in more frustration. The officials
can’t afford to anger the Thais and they are fairly close-
mouthed except for gossip.
It’s an incongruous scene at the Bamboo Bar. People
laugh and drink while Vietnamese artillery is answered
by Thai counter-battery fire. The journalists disregard
the noise. It’s all for show and little damage is done on
the Thai side of the border.
The real barometer for determining how dose a big
fight may be is much simpler and more accurate. The
journalists took for the number of tiny Buddhas charms
being worn by the Thai troopers in the area. One gener¬
ally means things will be quiet. If there are three or four
dangling from each neck, the situation is going to be
tough.
Shades of Ihe Vietnam War. Some things never
change. — David Mills
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 53
SOF CENTRAL AMERICA
WHEN SHADOWS
SHOOT
BACK
High Tension
on a Hilltop in El Salvador
r Text and photos by Peter G. Kokalis
I T was a dicey time, sitting up on that hill stacking ammo
belts and straightening grenade pins. The Gs would most
likely assemble on the hill adjacent to our ‘A’ camp and
move across the connecting saddle to assault our puny
perimeter..
Things looked shaky from where I sat in a slit-trench cut
with great effort into the powdery red volcanic soil full of
stubborn boulders. Between me and the bad guys was an
M60 GFMG. I was the machine-gun guru and had placed the
weapon to cover the most likely avenue of approach. There
were only 50 good guys on this hill and intel said we might
be hit by a guerrilla force of as many as 500-1,000. There
was TacAir in the form of A-37 Dragonflys at Ilopango Air
Base and an infantry company had been sent to probe the
northern base of our position, but it was clear to me that we
would bear the brunt of the assault — if it came.
1 should have known this would happen. The night I
arrived at the cuartel , located just eight klicks from the
Honduran border in northern El Salvador (security demands
the exact location remain secret), the troops holding this
piece of high ground popped illumination rounds from their
Ml9 60mm mortar. It was not a red carpet for my arrival.
They had spotted lights in the bush. Out here that generally
means the Gs are massing for an attack.
Within 48 hours, we discovered the significance of the
lights the troops had spotted in the bush. The guerrillas,
expecting a battalion rotation, massed about 500 terrorists 28
klicks from this unit’s base cuartel on the road to San
Salvador. They established a secondary ambush point only
four klicks from the cuartel to intercept the anticipated relief
force. Instead of a relief battalion, a convoy of two trucks —
each loaded with about 46 soldiers — sailed down the road
in the early morning hours. The rear truck was flagged down
by villagers just before reaching the secondary ambush point.
The villagers indicated to the officer cadet in charge that
there were Gs in the area. He off-loaded the truck and
flanked the high ground adjacent to the road. Two guerrillas
were killed in the ensuing contact.
Meanwhile, the first truck roared on toward the primary
ambush point unaware of the encounter. The trap was
sprung too early and the truck was hit by the frontal units of
the ambush party with three Soviet RPG-2 HEAT projectiles.
The driver — the same soldier who had picked me up at the
airport five days earlier — was killed instantly and the truck
swerved off the road, slamming into a bedrock outcropping.
The 2nd Lt. in charge maneuvered his men away from the
vehicle and forced the guerrillas to pull back, but not before
he had suffered eight KIA and nine WIA. A-37 Dragonflys
screamed in on the withdrawing guerrilla columns and
inflicted heavy casualties.
A quick recon of the ambush area revealed that things
weren’t that well-planned. Apparently short of the FI
grenades they receive from Mother Russia, the guerrillas had
employed crude pipe bombs in the ambush and I examined
several specimens the next day. They were bound to take
another crack at us and this remote ( A’ camp seemed a likely
target
Our hill, which stands 300 feet above the surrounding
countryside, was the site of a CIA communications center. 1
shared the camp commander’s hootch, a rather spacious
one-room building of wood and masonite. The officers’
latrine was a concrete one-holer surrounded by walls of tarp
and ammo crates. A shower stall was also covered by tarps
and supplied with ice-cold water from a 55-gallon drum set
on top. I supplemented this with a five-gallon portable solar
water heater magnanimously supplied by SOF Publisher Bob
Brown. But creature comforts were the furthest thing from
my mind when the alert was sounded. Fortunately, we could
count on the Gs opting for a night attack.
Earlier in the day, Captain Jose Melara, the camp
commander, had ordered up a .50-caliber MG from the
cuartel s fire-support team. If the Gs had hit us at that point,
Ma Deuce would not have been able to help. Examining the
gun, I noted that it was new and manufactured by the Saco
54 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
SALVADOR
SITREP
My sixth and most recent trip to El
Salvador left me with the impression
that the military situation — at best
— remains stagnant. Twelve
thousand communist terrorists, sup¬
ported by probably no more than 30-
40,000 masas (the masses) continue
to make life miserable for the other
five million Salvadorans. Is that fair?
Only to leftist sympathizers.
Salvadoran military authorities
have defined three levels of terrorist
activity. The initial stage, which
commenced five years ago, is char¬
acterized by isolated incidents of car
and bus bombings, kidnaping for
ransom, destruction of utilities and
coffee plantations and assassina¬
tions (always blamed on the so-
called “right-wing death squads”).
In Level Two this scenario is con¬
tinued and combined with the em¬
ployment of squad- to battalion-size
units in brief contacts with the Sal¬
vadoran Army. In this phase, guer¬
rilla bands also concentrate on the
destruction and or temporary
occupation of pueblos, bridges and
power plants.
The final stage of Marxist revolu¬
tion is supposed to be the fielding of
battalion-strength and larger groups
in set-piece military operations
against the Salvadoran Armed
Forces. Several times within the last
five years the guerrillas have
attempted to operate at this third
level, presumably poised for the
complete “liberation” of El Salva¬
dor. Each time they have butted
heads with the Salvo Army they got
their asses kicked badly. This last
occurred in the fall of 1984.
The guerrillas are now back to
Level Two and the Salvadoran Army
appears unable to cope with them at
this stage beyond some brave hold¬
ing actions. They are not winning;
therefore, they are losing. The tough
young turks in the Salvadoran Army
realize that to win, they must match
the guerrilla level of activity and field
squad- to platoon-size ops to beat
the bad guys at their own game.
This is not likely to happen in the
foreseeable future. Successful small-
unit tactics can be employed only
with the assistance of a competent,
highly trained NCO corps. The Sal¬
vadoran Army has grown to 45,000
in just a few years but development
of experienced career NCOs has
lagged woefully behind. In the
United States and Western Europe,
the NCO corps has traditionally
been mostly drawn from the large
and well-established middle-class
level of society. There is no such
group in El Salvador.
Furthermore, the Salvadoran
Army has exaggerated the problem
by its own specific policies. There are
only two grades of sergeants: three
stripes and staff. They have no
equivalent to Master Sergeant or
Sergeant Major. Why? Because they
actively encourage intelligent and
motivated NCOs to leave enlisted
status and become officers. Thus the
Salvo Army itself continues to rape
and decimate its own cadres. Those
soldiers that choose to remain in the
enlisted ranks are given little respon¬
sibility or authority. Unless this
trend is reversed, cadets and lieuten¬
ants will continue to lead all combat
operations regardless of size, thus
limiting their quantity and frequen¬
cy. They cannot score decisive vic¬
tories in the guerrilla war until the
level of small-unit operations is sub¬
stantially increased. 1 don’l think
this will happen in time to save El
Salvador. I have observed sergeants
leading combat patrols only in the
Atlacatl Battalion.
Operating without the time con¬
straints imposed by a fickle and im¬
patient American public, the com¬
munists will fight on as long as
necessary (as they demonstrated in
Indochina) or until they are crushed
completely. The latter is unlikely, as
in addition to the Salvadoran
Army’s NCO problem, the U.S. Con¬
gress seems bound and determined
to offer only enough assistance to
maintain the status quo: never
enough for a decisive victory. The
prospects are bleak indeed. 1 see lit¬
tle hope for the future and the Salva¬
doran people cannot handle another
decade of this nightmare. The com¬
munists will most likely succeed by
default.
— Peter G. Kokaiis
JULY 85
SULIM lilt Ol IOIMTiM: 55
Defense Systems Division of the Maremont Corporation in
January 1984. I also noted that it was as dry as a bone. The
crew seemed bewildered by my complaints about the lack of
lubrication and I later learned they were medics assigned only
to carry the gun since they were headed in our direction
anyway. Had the Gs attacked the ‘A’ camp that night, this
deadly weapon would never have influenced the fight.
The medics who carried the weapon up onto the hill had
lost the T&E mechanism’s traversing slide-lock lever
somewhere along the way. That reduced the gun’s
long-range effectiveness by about 80 percent. We
immediately fabricated a T-bar locking stud as a field
expedient I turned to lubricating the weapon and had it
ready for action before sundown.
That was fortunate. The situation soured rapidly that
evening during my second week at the camp. Second
Lieutenant Lopez, Melara’s XO, trotted up the hill to inform
us that intercepted radio traffic indicated the Gs would
probably attack our position that night. Our camp’s location
and purpose had been identified several nights before on a
broadcast from Radio Sandino in Nicaragua. The communists
saw fit to write history before the event. They announced
that very shortly the camp and communications center would
be destroyed by the People’s Revolutionary Forces. We
ABOVE AND RIGHT: Ml 14 track with Salvadoran face lift
sports M2 .50-cal. Browning aircraft machine guns.
BELOW: Salvadoran trooper sports SOF decal on his Ml6.
BELOW: Twin fifties in front hull of Ml 14 track. Gun on the
right is non-functional as driver sits directly to the rear of it.
56 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
instantly began organizing for defense.
On the edge of my trench, I placed the M60 and about
1,500 rounds of ammo, linked four ball to one tracer. I had
an excellent view of my primary fire sector. Using a broken
antenna pole, I set a limit stake to the left to avoid firing on
the Ma Deuce crew which we repositioned for better cover
and concealment about 100 meters to my front. I also
positioned a half-case of M67 grenades in the bottom of the
trench along with my M79 blooper. I put three grenades on
the top ledge of the trench along with the bandoliers of
HEDP M433 (M550 fuse) 40mm rounds for the M79. After
attaching an AN/PVS-2 night-vision scope to the M60, I
signaled my position ready.
Captain Melara borrowed my Galil loaded with 100-percent
tracer for fire-direction purposes. He threw a few rounds into
the hill across the saddle. The mortar crew began to plot
on-call fire for the 60 mike-mike. They had the line and range
after only two rounds. Other soldiers built a temporary
barricade for the mortar out of basalt boulders. No time to fill
sandbags now. Melara sent out two patrols and coordinated
them with the company moving below our position. He also
set out sentries. Our two demo men started to set AP mines
along the perimeter and I remember thinking, “John
Donovan, where the hell are you when I need you.”
ABOVE: Salvadoran muzzle brake for a .50-cal. Browning
aircraft gun.
BELOW: .30-06 M1919A6 Browning machine gun which
Kokalis put back into service.
ABOVE: Kokalis trains Ma Deuce gun crew with new
Maremont M2 HB. Assistant gunner is taught to spot
downrange impacts for fire redirect.
BELOW: German WWII vintage MG 42 GPMG in caliber
7.92mm, either captured from or abandoned by Marxist
guerrillas. No belts or ammunition were found with the gun.
BELOW: SOFs Military Small Arms Editor, Peter G. Kokalis,
tunes and fires M2 .50-cal. Browning aircraft gun from left
cupola of Ml 14 track.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 57
SOME TIMELY
TECHNICAL TRAINING
A week after I jury-rigged the ‘A'
camp’s first Ma Deuce back into action,
another Maremont .50-caliber M2 HB
was delivered for my attention. The
crew indicated it simply would not fire.
Small wonder. The bolt group had
been reassembled with the extractor
below the receiver’s guide rail. It was
frozen solid. The bolt switch had been
replaced in the position for right-hand
feed. The timing adjustment nut had
been turned to fire the weapon when
the recoiling parts were more than a
quarter-inch out of battery. The belt of
ammunition 1 was offered for testing
had been carried for months Pancho
Villa style and every other round was
misaligned in the link. Rounds can be
properly realigned by hand in M13
links for the M60 but without the
mechanical advantage offered by a
linking machine it’s an almost hopeless
task with the .50-caliber Browning
links. Naturally, the unit 1 had been
sent to help train didn’t have a linking
machine.
I set to work righting the wrongs and
with a fresh supply of ammunition the
gun was cranking again after just a few
minutes of adjustment. These Mare¬
mont guns are excellent examples of
the world’s finest heavy machine gun.
The buffer has been simplified and im
proved but the dovetail permitting in¬
stallation of an optical sight is still ab¬
sent. Their Stellite-lined barrels should
hold up well in El Salvador’s humid
environment. Now all the unit needed
was properly trained crews. That was
my job.
My first class on the .50-cal. was
attended by 36 corporals undergoing
proficiency training at the ’A’ camp
and one crew from the fire-support
team. These men were trained in the
operation and functioning of the
weapon, disassembly and assembly
(including proper use of the headspace
and timing gauges and the corre¬
sponding adjustments), maintenance.
Kokalis’ area in ‘A’-camp hootch
with his M79 blooper and Galil on
the wall.
immediate action to correct malfunc¬
tions and stoppages, employment
from cover and concealment, fire disci¬
pline and long-range single-shot fire
with the bolt latch (owing to inexperi¬
ence, they proved unable to fire single
rounds without the bolt latch), use of
sights, range estimation, the character¬
istics and classes of fire, crew drills and
hand-carry techniques. It was a
tremendous amount of material to
coVer but the enthusiastic and attentive
soldiers learned quickly and little repe¬
tition was required.
NCO training is a primary function
of the camp. Before promotion, cor¬
porals and sergeants must pass a
gruelling course based on that de¬
veloped by the Atlacatl Battalion. The
topics covered include leadership,
weapons (M16A1 rifle, M79 and M203
40mm grenade launchers, .50-cal. M2
HB and M60 machine guns, 90mm
recoilless rifle and the 60mm mortar)
and fire control, map and compass,
patrolling and ambush, offensive and
defensive operations, mines and dem¬
olitions, maintenance and operation of
the PRC-77 radio, camouflage, com¬
bat intelligence, first aid. fighting posi¬
tions, fire and movement (using a live-
fire infiltration cpurse), rappelling and
rope climbing, hand-to-hand combat
and physical training.
During the time the unit was occu¬
pied with the San Salvador road
ambush, 1 busied myself with inspec¬
tion and repair of three .30-06 Brown¬
ing Model 1919A6 LMGs I located in
the cuarteFs almacen (supply room).
At 32.5 lbs., the M1919A6 is not the
“light” machine gun of my dreams,
but it is sturdier and more reliable than
the M60 can ever hope to be. Belt-fed,
air-cooled and recoil-operated (gas-
assisted), it was a favorite ,of my late
comrade, Captain Larry Dring. The
M1919A6 was fielded in the 1950s to
offer more portability than the
M1919A4. Many M1919A4s were
converted to this configuration which
differs most obviously from its prede¬
cessor by the addition of a bipod and
shoulder stock. Two of the guns I
worked on were converted A4s origi¬
nally manufactured by the Saginaw
Steering Gear Division of General
Motors Corp. The other was manufac¬
tured as an M1919A6 by Rock Island
Arsenal.
The M1919A6 also features a carrying
handle as well as a lighter barrel which
increases the cyclic rate to 600-675 rpm
and requires the M7 flash hider with its
integral blast cone for gas assist of the
recoiling components. The bolt latch has
been removed and the recoil spring, cov-
58 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Salvadoran corporals move under live fire from Browning
M1919A6 LMG during infiltration course exercise complete
with demolitions.
1 was assigned a secondary sector of fire 20 meters behind
my pit at the edge of the hill. Stashing some of the ammo
behind a large tree a few yards away, 1 settled in to scan the
sector in front of my gun. 1 was told that the Gs would most
likely move on us between 2400 and 0400 hours. At 2400
hours the moon went down so I removed the AN/PVS-2
scope. It would be almost worthless without the moon’s dull
glow. That felt better. The NVD adds considerable weight to
the weapon, the tracers would shut it down and I offered too
high a profile when sighting through it.
To the south, about eight klicks from us, a large fire
burned in the jungle near a known guerrilla camp. Another
large fire glowed in the distance to the northwest across the
Honduran border — possibly a consequence of
slash-and-bum agriculture. Parachute flares added to the
eerie glow. Looking like fireflies from our distance, they
floated down near the border. Either the Catrachos
(Hondurans) were nervous that night or they’d made contact
with the Gs and were chasing them back across the line.
At about 0100, dogs began to bark all around the base of
the hill. Someone was active in the area below our camp.
Lights and movement on the south slope of the hill crept
toward my secondary sector. Rather than disclose our firing
positions by opening up, we heaved grenades down the hill.
The guerrillas — if that’s what they were — failed to make
their play. Another night in El Salvador with my boots on
and my eyes open.
The next morning we were told the guerrillas would attack
Continued on page 88
er latch and barrel jacket modified. The
A6 can also be mounted to and fired
from the M2 tripod.
Two of the guns were missing the M7
flash hider and retaining clip assembly
and thus would not function properly. All
three were equipped with an M2 tripod,
but two were without the T&E mechan¬
ism. The remaining T&E mechanism
was fitted with an M60 adapter, which I
removed. Combining the best compo¬
nents from all three, I managed to assem¬
ble one complete gun. Without the prop¬
er gauges, I headspaced the barrel by the
old “screw it in flush and back off two”
method. I then used a swiss file to mark
the barrel extension and barrel accor¬
dingly.
Ammo wasn’t a big problem. A large
quantity of linked ammunition was
available. Two lots composed the in¬
ventory: TW 54 (Twin Cities, 1954)
and K 57 (Kynoch, 1957). Stored
under the usual adverse conditions of
El Salvador, many links were damaged
and some cases corroded. After culling
the bad ammo, the gun, tripod and
ammunition were brought to the hill
where I quickly demonstrated the
weapon’s superiority as a defensive
machine gun.
Probing deeper into the almacens
darker recesses, 1 turned up a surprise
in the form of a tarnished gem cap¬
tured from the guerrillas. Buried
appropriately under a pile of musty
Mauser bolt-action rifles was the rust¬
ing hulk of a German WWII MG 42
machine gun. Short-recoil operated
with a gas-assist blast cone called a
diise , the MG 42 served as the Wehr-
macht’s principal general-purpose
machine gun after replacing the MG 34
in late 1942. In caliber 7.62mm
NATO, it still holds sway in the Bun-
deswehr as the MG 1.
The MG 42 uses roller-locking lugs
which are cammed out of locking re¬
cesses in the barrel extension. Capable
of full-automatic fire only, its extremely
high cyclic rate of 1,250 to 1,350 rpm
quickly earned it the appellation, “Hit¬
ler’s Zipper,” Fabricated mostly of
Defensive preparation at
Salvadoran ‘A’ camp.
sheet-metal pressings and crude in
appearance, it weighs only 25.5 lbs.
with its bipod, and features an excel¬
lent quick-change barrel system.
Wiping away the accumulation of
grease and filth, the serial number
247e and the manufacturer’s code
4 cra’ emerged on the left side of the
receiver. The gun was manufactured
by Maget Maschinen-u.-Geratebau
G.m.b.H., Berlin. But, how did the
Marxist guerrillas get their hands on it?
While the German DM6 nondisinte¬
grating belt used in the HK 21 machine
gun can be used, where could they
obtain 7.92mm ammunition in El Sal¬
vador? As I had previously examined
an MF 40 submachine gun in a resi¬
dence in San Salvador, I assumed that
this MG 42 was taken from a coffee
plantation along with a small hoard of
ammunition. I believe the gun was
abandoned by the Gs — not captured
by government forces — after the
available ammunition was expended.
Immediately adjacent to the cuar-
tel’s almacen was the room recently
designated as an armory. As the road
from San Salvador to this cuartel is the
site of frequent ambushes, the mobile
repair station from the Maestranza
(central ordnance depot) never visits
this post. Everything must be sent to
the Maestranza with a turn-around
time of two to three months. One of
SOF’s objectives was to establish and
equip a repair station as we had done
for the Atlacatl Immediate Reaction
Battalion. 1 was assigned an armorer,
previously trained at the Maestranza,
and together we inventoried and set up
the equipment donated by SOF. As he
was a corporal enrolled in the course
up on the hill, he accompanied me
during my stay at the ‘A’ camp to re¬
ceive further OJT as a small-unit
armorer.
On the hill, Capt. Melara and I were
able to conduct a training course on
the M60 GPMG which covered the
same topic outline as the Ma Deuce
instruction. Special additional empha¬
sis was placed on carrying 25-rd. teaser
belts, careful reassembly procedures to
assure no component (i.e., piston,
sear, sear plunger and spring, firing
pin, etc.) was placed in backward, and
closing of the top cover only after the
bolt group had been retracted. The
M601 was issued for training carried an
ancient serial number, 206976, but the
weapon had just arrived in-country re¬
built to issue specifications.
We also presented a course on the
M16A1 rifle that stressed the rela¬
tionship between the eye and sights,
sight alignment, the sight picture,
breathing, trigger control, firing posi¬
tions, fire discipline and zeroing the
individual weapon. Capt. Melara had
been issued a new Colt-manufactured
M16A1 rifle in the 9,500,000 serial-
number range. 1 began to feel that the
Salvadoran Army was starting to re¬
ceive the proper goods to fight the war.
The troopers paid strict attention but
I could tell it was hard for these bush
veterans to keep their eyes off the Bill
Bagwell Damascus steel Bowie knife
that rode on my web gear. I was con¬
stantly asked to demonstrate the effec¬
tiveness of this amazing weapon. I
complied in my spare time and hacked
through pine boards, severed one-inch
Manila rope with a single blow and
shaved the hair off my left arm until it
was bare.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 59
SOI 7 WEAPONS
GETTING OUT OF A
GUN JAM
A cop’s nightmares come in stereo. First
there’s the roar of his pistol hammering
away at some armed dirt-bag and then
there’s a sudden silence. That’s when the
sweat begins to stain the sheets.
The semiauto pistol he’s chosen for in¬
creased firepower on the street has choked
and the bad guy is rising to draw a bead. Our
sleeping cop can only see the slide hanging
over the web of his thumb and a vertical
cartridge case obscuring his sight picture.
At this point he wakes up screaming with
the realization that if it happens on the
street, he’s a dead man. If he’s smart, he’ll
remember the nightmare about a
“stovepipe” malfunction and get in some
practice clearing his weapon the next time
he’s on the range.
Like a lot of other aspects of practical
shooting, clearing malfunctions on semi¬
auto pistols is a skill that takes training and
practice. It’s well worth the time and effort.
SEND LAWYERS,
GUNS AND MONEY
If the shit hit the fan, sending Emanu¬
el Kapelsohn would answer two of the
song’s demands. He’s a lawyer and a
firearms trainer.
There’s hardly any room in a normal
author’s bio to list all Kapelsohn’s
credentials. But here are most of them;
Yale B.A. (with honors). Harvard Law
grad, New York Supreme Court-
qualified expert witness on firearms,
FBI and NRA certified firearms instruc¬
tor, American Pistol Institute instructor,
private investigator, bodyguard, tech¬
nical editor for Police Marksman, corpo¬
rate security adviser, A-dass IPSC com¬
petitor and firearms instructor for Bur¬
lington County NJ. Police Academy,
The dreaded double-feed. Unextracted case
prevents chambering new round, requiring
Phase Two of Kapelsohn’s Broad Spectrum
emergency-action drill.
especially if your life could depend on how
quickly and efficiently you get the weapon
back in action.
Kept reasonably clean and used with prop¬
er ammunition and magazines, a good semi¬
automatic pistol will function with near¬
perfect reliability. In fact, the auto pistol’s
tolerance for little maintenance and extreme
environmental conditions prompted the U.S.
Army to choose John Browning’s .45 as a
standard military sidearm over competing
revolvers. Despite all that, even a good semi¬
auto pistol — like any mechanical device —
will occasionally malfunction. When close,
fast, desperate shooting mates with Mur¬
phy’s Law, we are nearly guaranteed that if
the sidearm ever malfunctions, it will do so
in combat. When that happens, the shqoter
60 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
by Emanuel Kapelsohn
How to Avoid Fatal
Malfunctions
Phase One starts with the Tap: a weak-hand
blow to the bottom of the magazine.
has two options: clear the weapon and con¬
tinue the engagement or die.
Efficiency in this area begins with an
understanding of the common types of
semiauto pistol malfunctions. Actually
‘‘stoppage” is a more appropriate term than
“malfunction,” since many of the things
that can keep a handgun from going bang
have nothing to do with a malfunction of the
weapon. An empty gun, a chamber the
shooter has forgotten to load, or a magazine
not fully seated are examples of stoppages
which are not malfunctions.
The list of common stoppages will in¬
clude the following:
1) empty weapon
2) empty chamber
3) inert round in chamber
4) failure to feed
a) common failure to feed
b) slide slightly out of battery
c) double-feed (two rounds released from
magazine)
5) failure to eject
a) stovepipe
b) horizontal
6) failure to extract
7) magazine not fully seated, causing
a) empty chamber
b) engagement of magazine safety
8) magazine fails to drop free when release
pressed
There are two major schools of thought
on the clearing of stoppages and the first is
what I call the analytical school. Proponents
of this method recommend the shooter
analyze the nature of the stoppage, usually
by sight or sound. Phrases like, “When you
see that you have a stovepipe...” or
“When you hear the hammer go ‘click’
instead of ‘bang’...” resonate through
analytical-school classrooms.
The analytical approach teaches no less
than four different stoppage-clearance proc¬
edures, and the shooter is expected to select
the appropriate procedure based on the type
of stoppage. The logical appeal of this sys¬
tem is great. There’s only one problem with
it. Analysis takes too much precious time in
a gunfight.
In the middle of an alley at zero-dark-
thirty with lead flying around his ears, the
shooter will not be able to determine by
sight whether he has a stovepipe, a double¬
feed, a slide out of battery, or a gremlin
perched on his pistol. He will probably be
temporarily deafened by the firing and quite
unable to tell if his hammer has made a
“click” rather than a “bang.” In fact, the
shooter may understand nothing more about
his situation than the fact that he’s hauling
back on the trigger and nothing is happen¬
ing.
The analytical approach would require
the shooter to perform a Braille examination
of his weapon in the dark. That gives his
opponent all the necessary time to take care¬
Phase One continues with Rack: cycling the
action, keeping ejection port clear.
ful aim and put one between his running
lights. Even if the other guy was having
similar problems or ran out of ammo, the
analytical approach requires cool calcula¬
tion at a time when the adrenalin is pumping
and most men are functioning on an internal
auto pilot.
A more realistic method of clearing stop¬
pages in an emergency is the “broad-
spectrum” approach. Like the doctor who
administers a broad-spectrum antibiotic such
as penicillin or tetracycline rather than wast¬
ing time trying to determine the substrain of
bacterium that’s causing the infection,
shooters who use this approach realize that in
a fire fight it’s not important to determine
what the problem is. The critical issue is to
get the patient back into condition; just get
the weapon back into firing condition.
The first step when an apparent stoppage
occurs with any firearm is to release the
trigger fully and try pulling it again. Most
shooters will do this automatically, but
occasionally a person under stress will fail
to release the trigger fully after a shot. They
just keep squeezing and wondering why the
weapon won’t fire.
If releasing and squeezing the trigger
again doesn’t work, it is time to start Phase
One, or Tap-Rack-Bang. The shooter 1)
taps the magazine with the heel of the weak
hand to ensure that it is fully seated, 2) racks
JULY 85
SOIJMER OF FORTUNE 61
ABOVE: New magazine raises odds that
weapon treated with Phase Two drill will
function.
the slide hard to the rear, letting it snap
forward, and 3) bang — fires the pistol.
Simple as these three steps may seem, a bit
of technique is necessary to produce quick,
consistent results.
In racking — or cycling — the slide, it is
important to keep the weak hand clear of the
ejection port in order to allow empty cases
or loaded' rounds to exit the gun without
being trapped by the hand. It’s also impor¬
tant to allow the slide to snap forward freely
under its full spring pressure. Riding it for¬
ward with the weak hand can result in a
feeding failure.
Here’s how it’s done. Grasp the slide
with the weak hand over the top of the rear
TOP: Take cover for longer Phase Two,
which begins by locking back the slide and
removing the magazine.
of the slide. Clamp the slide serrations be¬
tween the fingertips and the heel of the
hand. You can also pinch the rear of the
slide between the thumb and forefinger, but
that puts the fingers, wrist, and arm in too
weak a position to clear stubborn stoppages,
such as an oversize round wedged in a dirty
chamber. The only exception is when a
large-handed shooter is handling a tiny
pocket pistol, where pinching the rear of the
diminutive slide may be the only way to
keep the ejection port clear. Shove the slide
to the rear and release your grip. Aim and
try to fire.
Phase One will almost always solve the
standard problems including empty cham¬
ABOVE: As with Phase One, Phase Two
readies the weapon for action by pinching
rear of slide between fingers and palm of
weak hand, pulling back, and letting slide
pop forward under spring pressure to
chamber round.
bers, inert rounds in the chamber, unseated
magazines, failures to feed, and failures to
eject, including the “stovepipe.” Despite
the advice given by some shooting instruc¬
tors, it’s not necessary to position the weak
hand in front of a stovepiped cartridge case
to wipe it out of the ejection port. Phase One
stoppage-clearance procedures — like peni¬
cillin — are about 85-percent likely to cure
whatever ails you and your malfunctioning
semiauto pistol.
Properly (reflexively) performed. Phase
One procedures can be executed in well
under two seconds. Some proponents sug-
62 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
gest speeding things up even further by
omitting the magazine tap, but this makes
Phase One less of a broad-spectrum re¬
medy. I prefer the tap. Take your choice.
If Phase One doesn’t work on the first try ,
forget about it and initiate Phase Two. Un¬
like Phase One procedures which are so fast
they hardly cause an interruption in firing.
Phase Two actions take five or six seconds
to perform. Given the importance of time in
a fire fight, you will need to take a few
precautions before beginning Phase Two. If
Phase One fails to reduce the stoppage, 1)
take cover , if you’re not already behind it;
2) consider using a back-up weapon if a
suitable one is available; and 3) consider a
tactical retreat.
If you’ve decided to hang in there with
your primary weapon, here’s what to do:
1) Lock the slide back: by manually en¬
gaging the slide stop with the strong-hand
thumb while pulling the slide rearward with
the weak hand.
2) Remove the magazine: You will prob¬
ably need to withdraw it forcefully with the
weak hand since stoppages which necessi¬
tate Phase Two procedures are also likely to
prevent the box from dropping free when
the magazine release is pressed.
3) Cycle the slide: by racking it back and
forth hard several times, keeping the weak
hand free of the ejection port, in order to
clear the action of empty brass or live
rounds. Do not stop because you see a round
or case exit the pistol — there may be more
than one thing stuck in it. Be sure by cycling
the slide several times.
4) Load the pistol: preferably with a fresh
magazine. The magazine you removed may
have caused the stoppage so don’t take a
chance. Cycle the slide to load the chamber.
5) Aim and fire.
It is important to perform each of these
steps in the proper order. For instance, if the
slide is not locked back first, it may be
difficult or impossible to remove the maga¬
zine. And if you forget to cycle the action
(Step 3) before reloading with a new maga¬
zine, you may have failed to eliminate the
case or round which caused the stoppage in
the first place.
About the only stoppages that will not be
cleared by the Phase One drill are double¬
feeds and failures to extract (two of the least
common stoppages), and the most stubborn
failures to eject. In such cases, the Phase
Two procedures will solve the stoppage reli¬
ably if not as quickly. The system works so
well, in fact, that it is the method to use with
almost all box-magazine-fed semiautomatic
weapons, whether pistol, rifle, or sub¬
machine gun.
The efficiency of this two-step system is
most apparent at night when a shooter
trained to perform these steps automatically
can clear a stoppage as quickly as he can in
the daytime, while the shooter trained in the
analytical method is left groping around in
the dark, trying to determine if he has a
stovepipe or a double-feed. To put this point
in proper perspective, police statistics (as
one example) indicate that more than 65
This stovepipe could ruin a cop’s crack at a
pension. Under pressure or in the dark, the
usual analytical schemes fall. Kapelsohn’s
“broad-spectrum” remedy teaches shooters to
clear malfunctions by conditioned response.
percent of officer-involved shootings take
place in dim light making visual analysis of
a stoppage difficult or impossible.
Like any other weapon-handling tech¬
nique, it is essential that malfunction-
clearance procedures be practiced until they
become reflex actions employed automati¬
cally when needed without much conscious
thought on the part of the shooter. Training
drills for Phase One can be conducted on the
range by manually setting up a stove piped
cartridge case in the ejection port, with a
loaded magazine in the weapon. A proper
“tap and rack’’ should produce a “bang”
when the trigger is pulled.
Phase Two procedures can be practiced
by setting up a double-feed. Simply drop a
single round into the chamber by hand, in¬
sert a loaded magazine in the pistol and ease
the slide forward. On a whistle or some
other signal, the shooter should first try
Phase One and then go on to Phase Two
when initial procedures fail as they will in
the case of a double-feed. Remember, the
system depends on not trying to figure out
what is wrong with his weapon. In this
exercise, the shooter knows that Phase One
won’t work, but he should still drill himself
to perform it first and move to Phase Two
only when he initially fails to reduce the
stoppage.
AN IMPORTANT WARNING: If using
live rounds to practice these techniques ,
practice must be conducted only at a safe
firing range , with the weapon pointed safely
downrange throughout . Accidental dis¬
charges do happen.
After the basics of the stoppage-clearance
drills have been learned, you may want to try
the “sabotagcd-magazine drill.” Pairs of
shooters take turns sabotaging their partner’s
weapon and magazines by doing such things
as emptying the chamber, pressing the maga¬
zine release to pop the magazine slightly out of
place, and staggering the magazines with car¬
tridges, empty cases or dummy rounds. Pistol
and magazines are then replaced in the shoot¬
er’s belt without giving him a chance to ex¬
amine them. On each whistle, the shooter tries
to fire one shot at the target. If his weapon will
not fire, he does what he must to get a shot off
as quickly as possible. The drill continues until
the shooter has exhausted all of the sabotaged
magazines.
CAUTION: This exercise should not be
done with the lightweight Colt Commander,
Star PD, or other pistols with aluminum
feed ramps, since the mouths of empty cases
may scar the ramps. The only other concern
is that empty cases loaded into the maga¬
zines must not be inserted base forward, as
Continued on page 78
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 63
SOI VIETNAM
PLEIKU
PUNCH-
Armor Turns the Tide
by Ralph Zumbro
UP
at Tet
ABOVE: Villages went up in flames in the
fighting — sometimes from friendly fire and
sometimes from Charlie’s fire.
LEFT: The VC sometimes mined
graveyards. This tank went down early in
the fighting for Pleiku.
T READ-HEADS were never considered
much of a threat by the VC, but this
armor outfit was bound to be tough. Their
reputation was plastered all over the area
south of Pleiku. The local Viets had put up a
huge sign to welcome them in a sort of
left-handed manner.
A carefully lettered message painted on a
hundred feet of white cotton cloth let the
tankers know where they stood after the
move to the Pleiku area. “Welcome Com-
ARMORED WARRIOR
Ralph Zumbro enlisted in the Army in
July of 1957 and trained with the 101st
Airborne Division. He spent some time
in Germany with the 505th Airborne
Battle Group of the 8th Infantry Divi¬
sion. 1962 seemed like a good time fora
change so Zumbro got out of the Army
and tried his hand at underwater con¬
struction and traveling around as a yacht
captain. When things started heating up
in Vietnam, Zumbro re-enlisted and
volunteered to go over. He did a tour
from June 1967 to June 1968 with 1st
Battalion. 69th Armor.
i
64 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
pany ‘A’ From Bong Son. Please Leave Our
Women Alone And Keep Your Damn
Tanks Out Of Our Rice Paddies/' It looked
like I was in for a long tour.
When I shipped into Vietnam and joined
Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 69th
Armor, I was sure my experience as a gun¬
nery instructor at Grafenwohr would qualify
me for a tank commander’s slot. No way.
The best of the conventionally trained
USAREUR tankers were strictly bush-
league alongside these guys. They could
fight in towns, rice paddies and even deep
jungles. They didn’t just operate their M48
tanks, they wore them like a grunt wears his
combat gear. The crews thought as one man
and they could hip-shoot the turrets like
old-time gunfighters. The most my experi¬
ence and qualifications rated was a gunner’s
seat. 1 was to be apprenticed to a master
craftsman, until the outfit figured I was fit
for a command of my own.
The company couldn’t afford to take
chances. They were the entire armor sup¬
port for the Air Cav. That made the veteran
TCs in Alpha Company very flexible and
capable soldiers. They taught new tankers
back-scratching, house-wrecking, bank-
shots, bunker-busting, trench-cleaning and
other esoteric skills that had been modified
for the war in Vietnam. The Bong Son Plain
was a giant classroom. You learned and
graduated — or you died.
I was finally slated to make the grade
after an NCO refresher course at Pleiku.
When I got back to Alpha, things were in
total turmoil. We were being ordered off
An M48 on “paddy patrol” looks for
trouble in the hot sun. Photo: Ralph
Zumbro
temporary loan to the Air Cav and sent back
to a highland base of the 4th Infantry Divi¬
sion. Intel said enemy activity in that area
had almost tripled. They figured an appear¬
ance by some metal monsters might shake
the enemy confidence.
During preparations for the shift in AOs,
I discovered a sergeant had rotated in and
filled my tank-commander slot. The First
Shirt tagged me to run ammo, fuel and sup¬
plies for our task force. It kept me on the
road most of the time and I only managed to
get out on patrol with the tanks when 1 had
some spare time and could find a tank with a
short crew.
As Tet approached, Pleiku air base fell
under an increasing number of enemy
probes. Since their only defenses were
machine-gun towers about 50 yards apart
and lining a single-apron barbed-wire pe¬
rimeter, the base got penetrated regularly.
The gooks had already managed to make
scrap-metal out of a couple of Air Force
planes. People were getting nervous and the
Pleiku commander finally called General
Stone at 4th Division to lend a hand with
defense.
Orders came down through First Sergeant
Quinton and we were directed to take a few
trucks over to the air base and set up an
ammo and fuel point for a platoon of tanks
reinforced by a heavy section. It was an
all-day affair and I was in charge of the
preparations. Not that I bitched, mind you.
Once the supplies were delivered we took
full advantage of Air Force chow, hot show¬
ers, an NCO Club, PX and movies. With
only eight tanks to worry about, we figured
we had it made. That’s when the VC de¬
cided to burst our bubble.
Just before dawn one morning a battalion
of about 600 slopes cut the wire, blew out
three machine-gun towers and hit the air¬
strip at a dead run headed for the revetments
and hangars. They had holed the perimeter
but the VC didn’t know about our tanks. If
they did, they likely didn’t suspect we could
get rolling before the primary damage had
been done.
As veteran bush-beasts, we’d learned that
security for our tanks was best provided by
tankers. The crews slept in and on the tanks
with someone at the gun controls 24 hours a
day. Before the echo of the explosions at the
guard towers had died out we were cranked
up and rolling.
1 was with the 3rd Platoon CO, Second
Lieutenant Joe Somelik, and his crew when
he ordered his tanks forward. As flames
shot skyward on the perimeter, 1 jumped off
the vehicle and ran for the ammo dump.
Sergeant Hiemes in the dozer tank Jed die
counterattack. He was followed by the six-
tank with the rest of the platoon’s tanks
fanned out behind. A stray from 1st Platoon
which had been at company base for repairs
struggled to bring up the rear.
They rolled right into a tanker’s paradise.
Gooks were milling around in the dark all
over the area tryiiig to get organized arid go
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 65
for the parked aircraft. Co-ax and cupola-
mounted machine guns tore into them and
many were mowed down by 90mm canister
rounds. I pissed and moaned about missing
the action until the first tanks started to
come back for reloading about an hour after
the fight started.
The crews laughed and jabbered like kids
on a picnic while off-duty airmen hung all
over the tank hulls listening to the warrior
tales. It didn’t take me long to piece together
what had happened out there on the airstrip.
Our tanks had clanked onto the scene by
driving down the taxi ramp between the
hangars and the fighter revetments. That
was a welcome sight for the Air Force
maintenance crews who had been sleeping
around the planes with their Ml6s. They
rolled across the active runway and turned
in a flanking movement to charge the VC
formation. About 100 yards from the
nearest terrified VC, they switched on the
tube-mounted xenon searchlights. The
gooks writhed in the brilliance of 75-million
candlepower and stared back in shock. The
tankers opened up with everything that
would fire. When it was over the airmen
policed up some 200 enemy bodies. There
was a regular river of blood trails leading
back out through the wire.
For the next few days around Pleiku Air
Base we were bigger celebrities than Bob
Hope. It seemed like everyone on the base,
from Airmen First Class on up through
pilots and wing commanders, wanted a
guided tour of one of our tanks or a ride
around the perimeter. In the clubs it was
chaos. Whenever we ordered anything, the
nearest airman hauled out his wallet to cover
the tab.
It was difficult with all the swelled heads
in his platoon but Lt. Somelik tried to keep
things tight. He patrolled every morning
before dawn using IR gear to make sure that
the perimeter stayed cool. It seemed like a
good time for me to make another pitch for a
slot in a combat tank. The ammo bunker
was organized and my SP5s were a re¬
sponsible bunch, so one morning I hitched a
ride with Somelik in the 3-6 tank. It was the
first day of Tet.
At 0200, a voice attached to a shadow
woke me. The shadow thrust a canteen cup
of coffee and a mess-kit full of real scram¬
bled eggs, bacon and burned toast under my
nose. The coffee had a heavy load of sugar
and 7 Crown in it. I was ready to go to work.
We quickly checked out the tank and tight¬
ened the track end-connectors — all 320 of
them. It’s a pain in the ass at that time of
morning but it’s got to be done. A broken
track in combat can badly screw up a crew’s
health records.
Roll-out was at 0300. We went out the
air-base gate at 50-yard intervals, spread
into a rough wedge, and headed for our first
checkpoint — a commo relay station on a
ridge east of Pleiku. The lieutenant had a
full crew so I rode shotgun, perching on the
turret and hanging onto the sky-mount .50-
cal that had been welded to the turret. Bron¬
co Kindred was riding as loader. The last
time I’d run into him he had been a driver on
the 3-2 tank. The gooks destroyed his vehi¬
cle with a command-detonated, 250-pound
TNT charge. He survived but the entire
crew had spent some time in the hospital.
The gunner was a sergeant named Wally
and the driver was a new man fresh out of
armor school at Ft. Hood. I figured we were
in pretty good shape even if the shit hit the
fan.
We rolled up to the relay station at about
0430. Jumping off the tank, the lieutenant
and 1 went in to check the place out, hoping
to scrounge coffee for the crews at the same
time. The CO there, a Signal Corps Lieuten¬
ant, was an easy-going type who wanted us
to convoy a busload of USO people back as
far as Pleiku. The entertainers were a mixed
bag: a Philippine country-western band and
two Australian strippers who had come to
the outpost to give the troops a little break in
the routine. They had stayed the night rather
than chance being ambushed on the roads
after dark. There was not much danger of
that but the Signal Corps guys didn’t want
the entertainers — particularly the strippers
— to know it.
The 4th Division CG was slated to drop in
on the comm base by helicopter the day the
USO people did their number. He would not
approve of the women staying the night, so
the commo techs conjured up a fake mortar
raid to force the general to keep his distance.
A man was stationed outside the radio bun¬
ker with a sack of concussion grenades and
every time there was any communication
66 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
SOUTH
VIETNAM
with the general’s chopper, he would heave
two or three over the wire for effect. The
general sounded very concerned and
cautioned the base commander to take no
chances with the ladies. They stayed the
night but now it was time to get them back
on schedule. The USO bus swung into our
column behind the 3-4 tank.
Dropping our charges off safely at 0600,
we heard the sound of small arms punctu¬
ated by the clang of light mortars. Some¬
thing was happening in beautiful downtown
Pleiku. Captain Allen, the Alpha CO, cut in
on the radio, warning of an NVA battalion
that was raising hell in the city. He wanted
us to “probe” the area and see how bad
things were. 1 may have missed the fight on
the airfield, but I was bound to be smack in
Crashing through a palm-tree grove, this
tank cruises toward an enemy position.
Photo: Ralph Zumbro
the middle of this one.
Rolling into the city we met two ARVN
tanks in full retreat. They looked very pro¬
fessional in black berets and polished tur¬
rets. If only they were headed in the right
direction. They were scared shitless and
looking for a place to get safely hull-down.
You could see the whites of their eyes at 100
yards as they told of RPGs and B-40 rockets
crashing through the streets. According to
the ARVN, the NVA were remnants of two
battalions trying to regroup inside the city.
Capt. Allen called off the probe and we got
new orders.
“Just go in there, link up with our infan¬
try and hash them up,” he said over the
radio. We deployed and rumbled into town
at 0700. There were no American grunts on
the scene. We were it. Eight tanks and a few
Air Force hitchhikers facing what amounted
to an NVA battalion. It was time to consider
the situation and terrain.
Tanks and infantry have been a function¬
ing team since armor first rumbled onto the
battlefield in World War I. They should
compose an integrated team during combat
in a built-up area where armor mobility and
visibility is restricted. But we had no infan¬
try. Our tanks would have to crawl in with
the hatches open and heads exposed. We
would have to be our own eyes this trip.
On a main street south of the business
district we began taking heavy fire. It was
mostly small arms that spanged off the armor
but there was some disturbing .50-cal and
mortar fire which made us realize this was
not going to be a cakewalk. Lt. Somelik
eyeballed the situation and expanded the line
of tanks as we clanked into combat. Halfway
through the turn, the 1st platoon tank took a
rocket under the bow and a wicked blast of
LMG fire. Smoke began to boil out of the
hatches. The driver was killed and the loader.
— an older man we knew as “Pappy” —
was hit and blown off the turret.
The tank commander was blown out of
his hatch and the gunner was burned before
he got out — under his own steam and
cussing a blue streak. I felt for him. All he
ever wanted was to be a tanker and since he
had worked his butt off for me handling
ammunition, I had wrangled him a slot in
that tank. He low-crawled down the road
about 20 yards where the six-tank com¬
mander, Cheyenne Black, took him aboard.
At about the same time someone came on
the air screaming about taking fire from a
nearby building. The Company Command¬
er didn’t hesistate with his orders. “Well,
blow it away.”
Back at his CP, the captain was trying to
keep the situation under control. He had one
platoon in contact, one convoying trucks
down to Chio Rio and one setting up a new
company base camp in a remote area. While
he was not known for innovative tactics, he
did have the standard GI reaction to a bad
situation; attack.
By 0800 that morning some friendly in¬
fantry began to drift into Pleiku. They were
Montagnard Popular Forces led by a Special
Forces A-team. They weren’t used to work¬
ing with tanks but the SFs gave them a quick
briefing and they divided up to support indi¬
vidual tanks. It was all we needed to turn the
fight around in a hurry.
We punched our way through a city block
of houses and gardens until we were hit with
heavy rocket fire. The dozer tank took one
in the turret and began billowing smoke.
The crew unassed and headed to the rear
where the battalion recon platoon was or¬
ganizing a CP. Lt. Somelik was going to
shift tanks to cover the hole in our line but a
voice over the radio changed his mind.
“Chopper 3-6, this is, Black Watch Nin-
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 67
er. I’ll fill your gap. ” The Lieutenant and I
looked at each other in disbelief. A Huey
gunship settled into the hole left by the
dozer tank. Unfortunately, things got hot
after about two minutes and our airborne
ally also had to unass the area. This was
turning into a genuine combined-arms fight.
Zigzagging through the rubble, a Green
Beret sergeant rushed up to our tank and told
us that the NVA were mixing with civilians.
Innocent people were being held in the
houses we were taking under fire with the
tank weapons. We pulled back to figure that
one out and ran across some U.S. infantry.
I’ll never know where they came from.
There were no trucks, no APCs, nothing.
They just appeared. The lieutenant dis¬
mounted and went off with a radioman to
find their CO. His orders were for us to sit
tight and fire on “targets of opportunity.”
We interpreted that to mean mill around and
shoot up the enemy but don’t wander off.
I assumed command of the tank since the
senior assigned crewman only had three
weeks in-country and we found a low spot
that gave us some protection to scan the
area. We were contemplating a long-range
American Armor punches into an enemy
outpost near Pleiku. Photo: Ralph Zumbro
shot at what had been an ARVN compound
when an Air Force FAC came on the net
describing a building and asking who could
hit it. No problem. We could do it. The
observer indicated he had seen a dozen
NVA enter the building. He’d mark it with
WP and we could open up when we had the
range.
As soon as the smoke appeared, we
drilled 90mm HE delay into the building’s
foundation. The idea was to keep pumping
cannon fire until we blew the floor out
through the ceiling. On the eighth round,
the main gun jammed.
Bronco almost got a hernia trying the
extractor, but that shell wouldn’t go in or
out. We swung the turret so that the gun tube
pointed over the right rear where 1 figured
. we’d be safest from hostile incoming. With
Wally and Bronco watching for trouble, I
eased out, dropped down and grabbed some
hardware out of a sponson box. I had to
assemble the rammer staff, put a bell ram¬
mer on it and pound that cartridge out back¬
ward. Bronco took the opportunity to clear
empties out of the turret before the clutter
could jam the traverse gear. While 1 strug¬
gled, the Green Beret sergeant showed up
and told me he’d always wanted to try the
armored battalions. He said he was rapidly
changing his mind.
1 finally cleared the weapon and started to
put the rammer away. That’s when 1 saw
something that nearly brought tears to my
eyes. Bronco heaved the last batch of
empties out along with a case of Bud —
some of it still cool. We snatched the tabs on
two of them and drank to each other’s
health. It was time to get back into the war.
Just as we got squared away, the six-tank
got the left track shot up. With one tank
brewing up and one disabled and aban¬
doned, our strength was beginning to dwin¬
dle. Four tanks were still hammering the
NVA positions so I rolled 3-6 up to Chey¬
enne Black’s cripple and left two men in the
turret to provide cover while we worked to
repair the track.
By 1030 we managed to get enough spare
track sections together to reassemble
Black’s running gear. We were short of
68 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
ammo but one of the recon APCs had gone
to escort my ammo trucks in for a quick
reload. Captain Allen had withdrawn 2nd
Platoon under SFC Taylor from a convoy
staging area and sent them into town from
the west end. Taylor effectively smashed
the NVA defensive line by hitting its ex¬
posed flank with 250 tons of bad news. He
did what tankers do best — shoot, scoot and
communicate.
As we backed away from the action to
re-arm, the driver came up on the inter¬
com. “There’s some clown in civvies with a
shotgun coming in from the left.”
It turned out to be the local Catholic mis¬
sionary priest from Pleiku. He did not seem
very pious when I asked what he was doing
with the scatter-gun. “I’m looking for the
sonofabitch that blew up my school,” he
replied. “Can you help the mission com¬
pound? It’s under fire.”
After getting over the shock of hearing
that kind of language out of a priest, Lt.
Somelik offered some help. “Sure thing,
padre, and if you’ll wait a while, we’ll get
you an infantry squad.”
The priest was in no mood to wait.
Headache for Charlie: Crewmen on an M48
tank watch as an F-4 Phantom drops its
payload on a VC position. Photo courtesy of
DOD
“Thanks, soldier, but I know where he lives
and it’s personal.” He walked off with his
double-barrel and we never saw him again.
It was becoming a weird war.
Somelik reached the six-tank on the radio
and Black picked up a recon APC to help
pry the nuns and nurses loose. Later on,
Stanley told how it went.
“Darnedest thing I ever saw, Sarge. We
demolished the wall, swung left and made
room for the track. I got out to look around
and here’s about a half-dozen broads with
suitcases looking like they were waiting for
a bus. They were all half-looped and this
little Vietnamese nun handed me a pint mar¬
tini —with a cherry in it. They loaded up on
the tank and we all got out of there. Recon
took the women out and we went over to
your resupply point.”
My two crazies, Gray and Richardson,
managed to get separated from their
armored escort so they just drove their
ammo trucks toward the sound of tank guns,
stopping when they ran into U.S. infantry. I
got the resupply operation working smooth¬
ly by 1300. Two tanks were rearming at a
time and another four were holding a perim¬
eter. Lieutenant Somelik took me aside.
“Sarge, you were airborne infantry,
weren’t you?”
“Yes, sir, what did you have in mind?”
“Well, we’ve got one body to find and
the dozer to check out. Bronco was a tunnel
rat down south, and I figure that between the
three of us we could get it done while the
crews load up.”
Bronco had one of those three-shot gre¬
nade launchers, the Lieutenant had his
XM177 and I had the usual M3 and a .45
auto. We eased down the street to the point
where we’d originally been hit and found a
platoon of U.S. infantry, part of an A-team
and a dozen or so Yards mopping up. It
would be hard to get to the dozer because the
NVA were holed up in a row of houses and
raining fire on us.
We recovered Pappy’s debris-covered
Continued on page 86
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 69
Otto Skorzeny did much more during
World War II than pull off the daring snatch
mission for which he became famous. His
raid to rescue Benito Mussolini from a Gran
Sasso prison hurtled the Nazi commando
into prominence, but the scar-faced Skor¬
zeny was not one to rest on his laurels.
There was a war to be fought and Skorzeny
was in the thick of things right up until
Germany's surrender . In the second of a
two-part series , SOF reveals some of the
lesser-known exploits of “The most
dangerous man in Europe. ’ *
I RONICALLY, Skorzeny — whose very
name was a byword for daring, unex¬
pected assaults — led a relatively normal
life until July 1943. The man whose reputa¬
tion and fortunes were to be forever identi¬
fied with those of Adolf Hitler was neither a
die-hard Nazi Stormtrooper nor a Prussian
Junker. He’d been a hunter before the war,
but the thought of being a professional sol¬
dier never crossed his mind.
He was bom on 12 June 1908 in Vienna,
the son of Anton and Flora Sieber Skorzeny.
Most of the men on his maternal side were
Army officers under the Austrian Habsburg
Firm Allies: Hungarian Regent Admiral
Nicholas Horthy (left) with Adolf Hitler for
a march-past of German Army troops in
August, 1938, Photo courtesy of U,S. Army
Signal Corps
monarchy that ended in abdication late in
1918. Skorzeny ’s forbears fought Turks and
Tartars much as he would later oppose Ital¬
ians, Hungarians, Russians, Yugoslavians
and Americans.
The loss of World War I and the subse¬
quent worldwide depression brought hard
times to the Skorzeny family but young Otto
managed to graduate on 11 December 1931
from the University of Vienna with an en¬
gineering degree.
During his student days Skorzeny partici¬
pated in the dueling sport that later earned
him the nickname of “Scarface” in the
American press. He joined the Schlagende
Verbindungen (Dueling Society) and fought
a total of 15 duels.
Even after the Nazis came to power,
Skorzeny considered himself to be apoliti¬
cal but he wanted somehow to be at least
marginally involved in his country’s affairs,
so he joined the fledgling Austrian Nazi
Party in 1934 — a move vigorously opposed
by both of his parents. In 1936, he joined the
Austrian versions of the SS and Gestapo
(Geheime Staatspolizei — Secret State
Police) and helped bring about the Nazi
takeover of Austria in 1938.
When war came to Europe the following
year, Skorzeny tried to join the German
Luftwaffe as a pilot but was rejected as “too
old.*’ After initial training on the ground in
communications at a Vienna depot, Skor¬
zeny transferred to the Waffen SS and even
spent some time as a member of the Adolf
Hitler Leibstandarte (Lifeguard Regiment).
Although technically an enlisted man, he
was classified as an officer cadet, which
meant that he could work his way out of the
ranks toward an officer’s commission
someday.
He was sent to Das Reich (The Nation)
Division as an artillery regiment technical
expert but his anti-establishment attitudes
kept getting him into hot water with his
superiors. Did his men need tank treads?
Very well. He simply organized a night¬
time raid on the Divisional warehouse and
stole them. Another time, he took much-
needed tires from a supply depot at pistol-
point. His personnel folder was looking
worse all the time.
The Polish campaign of 1939 and the fall
of Belgium, Holland and France in the
spring of 1940 all passed without Skor¬
zeny’s having fired a single shot or having
one fired at him. Bored, he thought the war
was over. Everyone should be allowed to
simply go home.
After peaceful marches into Nazi-allied
Rumania and Hungary in April 1941, Skor¬
zeny’s regiment took part in the German
invasion of Yugoslavia. The Regent, Prince
Paul, had his pro-German government over¬
thrown in a palace coup and Hitler meant to
make an example of Yugoslavia. The Luft¬
waffe bombed Belgrade, and tanks rolled
across the frontier.
Skorzeny came under fire for the first
time in face-to-face confrontations with
armed troops. When he saw a mob of them
approaching his trucks on a dusty back road,
he motioned to his men to hide. In a typical¬
ly bold move, he proceeded to capture more
than 60 enemy soldiers without firing a
shot. Skorzeny was promptly made a first
lieutenant for this exploit and his prior con¬
duct problems were quietly forgotten.
Camped on the Polish-Russian frontier
on the shores of the Bug River with Das
Reich Division on 22 June 1941, Skorzeny
was shocked by the announcement that Ger¬
many was invading the Soviet Union. The
fighting was fierce, the casualties high and
Skorzeny learned first-hand that the Rus¬
sians were to be a very different brand of
opponent than those Germany had fought
previously.
After 18 months of combat on the Rus¬
sian Front, Skorzeny was wounded in the
back of the head by shrapnel. He lay uncon¬
scious for several hours before some Waf¬
fen SS troops found him and evacuated him
to an aid station. Terrible headaches
70 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
plagued him following recovery and in
January 1943, Skorzeny was on a hospital
train headed home. He expected to be back
to the fight in a few weeks but it would be
another two years before Otto Skorzeny
would fight the Russians again — under
very different circumstances.
The Allies were not without their own
commando exploits during the war. While
Skorzeny was fighting as a conventional
German soldier, the British reactivated their
commandos and tried to kill or kidnap Field
Marshal Rommel. They also popped up for
raids on the French port of St. Nazaire and
an attack at Dieppe on the Atlantic coast of
France.
In June 1942, British-trained Czech para¬
troopers landed in Czechoslovakia and
assassinated the SS Reich Protector there,
General Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler’s top
lieutenant. Skorzeny also read about the
German commando raid in May 1940 that
had captured the “impregnable” Belgian
fortress Eben Emael on the Albert Canal, as
well as of German parachute operations in
Holland and on Crete. He never dreamed
that any of this would affect his own career
but political and military events in Russia
and North Africa altered the situation dra¬
matically.
In November 1942, Rommel was defeat¬
ed by Montgomery at El Alamein as the
Americans landed on the coast to his rear. In
May 1943, all Axis forces in North Africa
surrendered en masse. In February 1943,
the German 6th Army surrendered to the
Russians at Stalingrad and the war’s turning
point had been reached. When Germany
was defeated by the Russians at the battle of
Kursk in July 1943, the war was well on the
way to being lost.
Hitler could now only win a vague politi¬
cal victory. The Allies demanded Ger¬
many’s “unconditional surrender” at the
February 1943 Casablanca Conference and
that forced the Germans to fight to the bitter
end. For Hitler and the Nazis — particularly
Success at the Burgberg: Skorzeny (left) and
his chief of stafT, Capt. Adrian von
Folkersam (center), walk across the fortress
square after the Hungarian stronghold had
been taken by German troops. Photo
courtesy of Bundesarchiv, West Germany
in light of what was then secretly being done
to the Jews in the East — it had to be victory
or the rope.
In 1943, Hitler decided to revitalize his
own commando capabilities. These Bran -
denburgers were Germany’s only hope for
forcing a political settlement. As his regular
armies were defeated in conventional bat¬
tles, Hitler sought to prolong the war by
staging bold commando operations that
would have dramatic impact on the Allied
domestic fronts. The hope was that the Ger¬
mans could win sympathy in high places for
the capitalist Nazis who were battling
against the communist Russians.
As Hitler decided on creating commando
troop units again, Himmler vowed that
these new men would be Waffen SS troops
under his own command. That limited com¬
mand choices and sealed Otto Skorzeny’s
fate. Circumstances placed Skorzeny in the
right place at precisely the right moment in
history. His selection as commando leader
was also influenced by fellow Austrian and
SS General Ernst Kaltenbrunner who re¬
membered that “sensible fellow” from the
Miklas incident back in 1938.
The first battalion of commandos was
placed under the new Captain Skorzeny in
April 1943 and a second was slated for
activation shortly thereafter. The first of
many wrangles with Admiral Canaris im¬
mediately took place over personnel and
supply requirements for the commandos but
the junior officer refused to be buffaloed.
He brought in Radi and set him to work
cutting through the yards of High Command
red tape to get the men and materiel that
Skorzeny needed to become operational.
He set up his new commando school at a
hunting lodge outside Berlin that spring.
Skorzeny wanted pistols with silencers but
Hitler had forbidden their manufacture in
Germany because he considered it a dishon¬
orable way to wage war. Again, Skorzeny
wouldn’t let the matter drop. He traveled to
Holland and—using captured British codes
— posed as a member of the Dutch under¬
ground. He nonchalantly radioed London to
airdrop some to him. They did and Skor¬
zeny discovered his penchant for unortho¬
dox methods would serve him well in his
new post.
Despite initial successes, the German
High Command and its cumbersome
bureaucracy seemed determined to resist
and thwart Skorzeny’s mission but he kept
pushing. When he wanted the Germans to
copy the famous British Sten Gun, the
Army refused, citing Hitler’s order which
resricted production of weapons that were
deficient at long ranges. The English would
create all sorts of exotic weaponry for their
commandos, but Skorzeny was forced to
use regular-issue equipment or steal what he
needed.
Prior to being tapped by Hitler for the
Mussolini rescue, Skorzeny had partici¬
pated in the planning of two proposed raids:
one into Persia (today Iran) and another
deep into Russia — both behind enemy
lines. The Persian plan was to encourage
Iranian tribesmen to fight the local British
and Russians, while the Russian adventure
was a cherished idea of Himmler’s to de¬
stroy the blast furnaces at Magnitogorsk far
behind the Ural Mountains.
Skorzeny didn’t believe he yet had either
the men or the materiel to cany out the
Magnitogorsk raid and the promised planes
for the Persian drop never materialized. One
day, SS Li^^Lenant Colonel (later General)
Walther Schellenberg arrived from Himm¬
ler’s staff to see what the delay was. He
agreed with Skorzeny that the plans couldn’t
be carried out and told the junior officer how
to avoid both missions: feign great interest,
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 71
constantly delay, then quietly shelve the
project. The tactic worked perfectly.
That was how Skorzeny spent his first
four months of command. Then came the
lunch in the Hotel Eden that lazy Sunday
afternoon in Berlin.. .
With the rescue of Benito Mussolini
over, Major Otto Skorzeny was asked to
assess the vulnerability of Hitler’s own
FHQ, the Wolfs Lair. He was the undis¬
puted champion of special warfare but the
SS security officers responsible for the
Fiihrer’s safety were far from pleased to
hear him say, “A determined and ingenious
enemy will always find a way in.”
His new standing in Hitler’s‘eyes gave
Skorzeny two prized advantages. The first
was a battalion of special troops for each of
Germany’s many battle fronts, and the
second was the chance to gauge the Third
Reich’s powerful leaders at close quarters.
This knowledge was to serve him well many
times in the years ahead.
He also acquired the services of a very
valuable volunteer officer: 29-year-old
Captain Baron Adrian von Folkersam, who
spoke fluent Russian, French, English and
German. He had studied economics at both
Berlin and Vienna Universities. He was a
welcome addition to Radi, and brought with
him 4,000other volunteers. Navy and Luft¬
waffe men now also flocked to join the
ranks of the famous Otto Skorzeny’s elite
force.
Hitler had Skorzeny’s next assignment
ready to launch. He was to prepare kidnap
missions against two internationally known
figures: French Marshal Henri P6tain, hero
Of World War I and head of the neutralist
Vichy regime in France, and Yugoslav
Communist Partisan Marshal Josip Broz
The mission that never was: Skorzeny was
ordered to kidnap French Marshall Henri
Pltain but the mission was scrubbed in
October 1943. Here, Hitler greets the WWI
hero and leader of Vichy France (left) on 24
October 1940. Photo courtesy of U.S. Signal
Corps
Tito. Nothing came of the first mission, but
Skorzeny did get into the field in the attempt
to kill Tito.
As in all his operations, Skorzeny went
ahead of his officers and men to Yugosla¬
via. From Belgrade, he and two sergeants
drove a Mercedes over country roads
through partisan areas. It may have been
foolhardy but it was typical of Skorzeny’s
swashbuckling style. Do the most improb¬
able thing and it will succeed, he reasoned.
In May 1944, after a month of searching,
Tito was located with a British military mis¬
sion at Drvar in Western Bosnia. Skorzeny
sent von Folkersam to inform the local Ger¬
man Army general commanding troops in
the Dvar area — which Tito’s men ruled at
night — that he would infiltrate the region
with commandos disguised as Partisans.
The general —jealous of Skorzeny’s suc¬
cess with Mussolini — wanted the honor of
the Tito mission himself. He stalled the
commandos and launched a full-scale
bomber, paratrooper and glider-borne inva¬
sion of the Drvar Valley on 25 May 1944.
They advertised the attack by sending re¬
connaissance planes to scout the area in
depth and the Germans found nothing but
Tito’s uniform in his cave headquarters.
Tito escaped and went on to lead his country
for several decades.
Back in Germany, Skorzeny found him¬
self involved with German secret weapons
where he learned about midget submarines
and human-piloted torpedos for use against
Allied surface naval craft. During the Allied
invasion of Italy at the Anzio bridgehead
during January-May 1944, Skorzeny sent
20 such torpedos against the enemy fleet.
Losing six men, he netted one warship
sunk, one cruiser damaged and 6,000 tons
of merchant shipping put out of action.
As it became clear that the Allies were
going to hit the beaches of France, Skor¬
zeny, like Rommel, scoured the coastline of
Europe trying to predict where the British,
Americans and Canadians might land. After
studying the local naval charts, he actually
did locate 10 of the beachheads, but failed to
identify Allied prefabricated harbors from
aerial photos taken over English dis¬
embarkation points.
Nazi Germany, ringed by hostile armies
pressing in on all sides, was in desperate
straits. In the East, its satellites were switch¬
ing sides to the Russians one by one. Fin¬
land, Rumania and Bulgaria followed Ita¬
ly’s lead. Despite that, Hitler managed to
prolong the war for almost another full year
— and Skorzeny played a vital part in the
success of the stop-gap policy.
General Jodi summoned him to a briefing
at the Wolf’s Lair on 10 September 1944.
The meeting began the second most impor¬
tant mission of Skorzeny’s career. In con¬
ference with Skorzeny, Himmler, Keitel
and von Ribbentrop, the Fiihrer explained
that Hungary — Germany’s main bastion to
the Southeast, containing 120 Soviet divi¬
sions and almost a million German troops
— was about to change sides through a coup
from the top.
Germany’s sole source of bauxite for the
new Messerschmidt jets was to be turned
over to the Russians in a secret peace negoti¬
ated by Hitler’s ally since 1938 — Hungari¬
an Regent and Admiral Miklos (Nicholas)
von Horthy, 72. The betrayal would cut off
70 German divisions and leave Italy,
Greece and Austria open to Soviet invasion.
The Reich itself would be threatened. The
Red Army was only 100 miles from
Budapest.
The Fiihrer came to the point. “You,
Skorzeny, will deal with this Admiral
Horthy.” It was to be the Gran Sasso all
over again but with an important difference.
The “ally” to be “rescued” obviously sus¬
pected some such action from Germany and
was hiding in a fortified castle located in the
very heart of Budapest. His safe-house was
surrounded by the entire Hungarian Army.
The fortress might have to be taken with a
frontal assault and that would result in
heavy casualties.
Jodi promised Skorzeny one of Hitler's
private planes, a glider squadron and three
battalions — two of them parachutists. The
good news was that he was given a docu-.
ment signed by Hitler stating “all person¬
nel, military and civil, will assist Major
Skorzeny by every means and will forward
all his wishes.”
As a student, he had toured Horthy’s
Citadel on the Burgberg — Castle Hill —
72 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
many times and knew well the strength of its
thick, stone ramparts. Could they be taken?
How?
A few days later he was ijiasquerading in
civilian clothes, touring Budapest as Dr.
Solar Wolff from Cologne. He concluded
that only a major, all-out assault could
breach the castle’s defenses. A glider opera¬
tion or parachute assault was impossible.
The only suitable landing or drop zone was
ringed by tall buildings from which heavy
fire could be directed at his men. That was
only one of Skorzeny’s problems.
Hungary’s neighbors — Russia and Po¬
land — were not German allies. An assault
on the historic seat of the government might
force the Hungarians into the Soviet camp.
Tact and diplomacy — not brute firepower
— was obviously the answer.
Skorzeny turned his thoughts to the
Hungarian Regent. Admiral Horthy had
ruled Hungary ever since he had crushed a
native communist insurrection in 1919 fol¬
lowing the fall of the Austrian Hapsburg
dynasty. Why would Horthy even think of
negotiations with Soviet dictator Josef Sta¬
lin? If the Russians took over, certainly
Horthy himself would be executed, Skor¬
zeny reasoned. After snooping about, Skor¬
zeny discovered the reason.
The Admiral’s second son (a first had
been killed on the Russian Front) — Miklos
“Miki” Horthy — was a well-known play¬
boy on the Budapest nightclub scene and
also the darling of his father. He was also
the Regent’s successor-designate and the
admiral’s chief negotiator with Russian se¬
cret agents who’d convinced the Horthys
that their regime could somehow survive
within the Soviet sphere once Germany had
been defeated.
A commando no longer, SS Lt. Col.
Skorzeny (left) directs troops in a
conventional battle on the Oder River Front
against Soviet forces in the spring of 1945.
Photo: Ullstein
Otto Skorzeny enjoys a cigarette in his cell
in the witness wing of the Nuremburg jail in
November 1945. Skorzeny continued to
deny he was sent to kill Eisenhower and
other high-ranking American officers. Photo
courtesy of U.S. Army Signal Corps
Here was the chance Skorzeny had been
seeking. He had found a way to avoid a
costly attack on the Burgberg. He designed
Operation Mickey Mouse to kidnap the
Admiral’s wayward son. The captive would
be used to blackmail the Regent into re¬
maining aligned with Nazi Germany. Skor¬
zeny struck suddenly on 15 October 1944.
His top staff for the mission included
Radi, von Folkersam, Werner Hunke,
Wilhelm Gallent, Gerhard Lochner and
Ulrich Milius at the head of about 700 men.
Skorzeny learned from Hitler’s Ambassa¬
dor in Budapest — SS General Dr. Edmund
Veesenmayer — that “Miki” Horthy had a
secret meeting to attend with representa¬
tives of the elusive Marshal Tito. The con¬
ference would take place on the second floor
of a building close to the Danube River. An
apartment on the third floor was rented by
Skorzeny’s commandos. Von Folkersam
and others were stationed outside, out of
sight of the main entrance. Germans in ci¬
vilian clothes waited in a local park, while
others in German Feldendarmen (military
police) uniforms strolled casually out front.
Since there were thousands of German sol¬
diers in Budapest, no one would become
suspicious.
A few moments after Miki’s arrival,
“Dr. Wolff” — also in civilian clothes —
parked his car in front of the meeting place
near a conspicuous Hungarian Army truck
full of armed troops guarding Horthy.
The operation began at 1005. Quietly, the
men on the third floor descended as the
“MPs” darted through the ground floor
door. Firing began immediately as the guard
troops started shooting at the doorway. As
other Hungarian troops rushed to their aid,
“Dr. Wolff” Summoned help by blowing a
whistle three times, then leaped behind his
Mercedes which was quickly riddled by
machine-gun bullets.
Von Folkersam arrived and was slightly
wounded in the fire fight as he helped drive the
Hungarians from the truck to the doorway of a
building next to the meeting place. As Skor¬
zeny rushed forward, he saw that more
Hungarians were stationed inside as reinforce¬
ments and lobbed a “potato masher” stick
grenade into the entranceway, the top of which
collapsed onto the troops. His commandos
followed suit, trapping the rest of the soldiers
inside the building.
Skorzeny bounded up the steps and inside
the building met his commandos on the way
down. They had Miki Horthy and three
other prisoners in tow. Horthy was loudly
yelling all sorts of dire threats. Skorzeny
saw a nearby carpet and told his men,
“Wrap him in the rug!” Trussed up inside
and tied with a curtain cord, Miki was trans¬
ported in a waiting van to the airport and
flown to Vienna. The entire action had
taken only 10 minutes, six minutes longer
than the mission on the Gran Sasso.
The operation was a success but it failed
in its intended political purpose. Admiral
Horthy decided to call the German’s bluff.
At 1400 that same day, Horthy spoke over
Radio Budapest announcing an immediate
armistice with the USSR. The Germans and
dissident Hungarian Army officers broad¬
cast a counter-proclamation and Hungarian
generals in the field were hesitant to do
anything until they could better sort out the
confusing situation. It was clear the Nazis
would be forced to take the Burgberg if they
wanted Horthy.
The planned attack — including infantry.
Tiger tanks and the new Goliath mine-
exploding tanks — would begin at 0600 on
16 October. Skorzeny sent an ultimatum to
the Regent offering him sanctuary in Ger¬
many as Hitler’s honored guest if he would
resign and go peacefully. It was a long shot,
he knew, but anything was worth a try at
that point. If his plea was rejected, Skor-
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 73
zeny had decided on the idea he was going
to use at La Maddalena before Mussolini
had been moved: a peaceful parade.
At H-hour, Skorzeny formed a column of
troops in trucks and tanks with himself in
the lead vehicle, a Volkswagen Kubel-
wagen. It was another bold gamble. He
would simply drive up the steep Wiener-
strasse (Vienna Road), through the govern¬
ment quarter and into the Burgberg. He’d
asked a Hungarian officer the night before
to remove the mines at the Vienna Gate so
that German Embassy personnel could
leave and gambled that they hadn’t yet been
replaced.
Skorzeny told von Folkersam, “I think
Horthy is bluffing. He and the Hungarian
troops won’t resist. I want to be in the front
so I can show the Hungarians that we are not
going to fire until fired upon.” He told his
men, “Do not open fire. Safety catches on.
Whatever happens, you must not fire unless
an officer tells you to. The Hungarians are
not our enemies.”
Sure enough, the Hungarian barricades
were removed and the troops stood back, since
peaceful soldiers did not fire on other peaceful
soldiers, especially their recent allies. Up they
went until, finally, the column faced a stone
barricade directly in front of the citadel itself.
Now Skorzeny changed tactics and ordered
the lead tank, a Panther, to smash through it
with a roar and a clanging crash of steel and
stone. Skorzeny followed.
As he leaped off his vehicle, Skorzeny
walked straight through the muzzles of six
anti-tank guns pointed at his vehicle. Walk¬
ing inside the citadel at a normal pace, he
told a Hungarian officer with a drawn pistol*
“Take me to the Commandant.” The Gran
Sasso drama was replayed as Skorzeny told
the Major General in command, “I ask that
you surrender immediately, otherwise I will
order my men to start firing. All resistance
is foolish, as I’ve already taken the Castle. 1
must know your answer at once.”
“I surrender,” stammered the shocked
officer, and Skorzeny thanked him warmly.
At the cost of seven killed and 26 wounded
in a fire fight elsewhere on the side of the
On trial for his life: Skorzeny (center) as
Prisoner Number One at Dachau, 1946.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Signal Corps
Burgberg, he had again won the day.
Now it was Skorzeny’s turn to be sur¬
prised. The Regent had already left just
before the 0600 assault was to begin and had
surrendered to a friendly Waffen SS general
down in t(ie city. No one had bothered to tell
Skorzeny. He and his men had risked their
lives for nothing. They had taken the Burg¬
berg needlessly.
On the other hand, Skorzeny was now
acting Regent and ruler of Hungary. He had
acted with prudence. The Hungarians were
beaten, but if Skorzeny was really to accom¬
plish his mission, it was imperative that they
not fee1 beaten — much less humiliated.
Always the tactful diplomat when the situa¬
tion called for it, he assembled the Burg-
berg’s Hungarian Army officers into the
citadel’s Coronation Hall for a short pep
talk.
“I would like to remind you that, for
centuries, Hungarians have never fought
against Austrians. Always, we have been
allies. Our concern is a new Europe, but this
can only arise if Germany is saved.” A joint
German-Hungarian funeral for the men
killed in the battle was held to further sooth
ruffled feelings.
Skorzeny enjoyed the delights of the
Burgberg on Hitler’s express command —
splashing about in the Regent’s own bath¬
tub, drinking the Admiral’s wine, eating his
food and capping it all off by sleeping in the
Regency bed. On the 19th, he was formally
introduced to the ex-Regent, and accompa¬
nied him aboard Hitler’s special train, code-
named Amerika, to a Bavarian castle, his
place of exile for the remainder of the war.
While some daring commando missions
worked, there were many more that never
even got off the ground. One involved using
refitted captured American bombers to blast
Iraqi oil wells. It never happened. The
planes were destroyed in an Allied raid and
the Luftwaffe could spare none of its own
aircraft to support Skorzeny’s scheme.
Another aborted idea was to have a team
of his frogmen blow up or block the Suez
Canal. It had to be abandoned when Allied
security increased and the High Command
repeatedly delayed the launch signal. The
Nazi High Command also scotched a mis¬
sion to blow up the Soviet Baku oil center.
They delayed permission for the raid until
the Balkan airfields from which Skorzeny’s
men would stage had been overrun by the
Russians.
Perhaps the most bizarre of these unful¬
filled plans involved the V-l rocket and the
famed Nazi aviatrix Hanna Reitsch, a test
pilot who was the only German civilian —
male or female — to win the Iron Cross First
Class during the war. Skorzeny and Reitsch
conceived an idea to fit the infamous buzz-
bombs with controls allowing pilots to steer
to pinpoint targets. The Nazi “kamikaze”
pilots would all be volunteers who were
willing to die for Fiihrer and Fatherland.
Skorzeny got 100 such volunteers but the
Luftwaffe refused to provide fuel for the
missions.
One mission that did succeed involved a
team of Skqrzeny’s frogmen who blew up
the Nymegen Railroad Bridge linking Ger¬
many and Holland in 1944. Their mission
prevented the bridge from being used by the
Allies as an invasion route into the Reich.
Of 14 frogmen,'two were wounded, four
returned unharmed and the other eight were
captured.
None of that changed the inevitable. As
1944 ended, the invasion of Germany came
closer and closer. Adolf Hitler told his aides
to “send for Skorzeny!” On 21 October —
just five days after the successful conclusion
of the Horthy mission — Skorzeny was
back at the Wolf’s Lair. Following a cere¬
mony during which Skorzeny was promoted
to SS Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant
Colonel) and presented the German Cross in
Gold, Hitler got down to business.
“I am now going to give you the most
important job of your life. The world thinks
Germany is finished, with only the day and
hour of the funeral to be appointed. 1 am
going to show how mistaken they are. The
corpse will rise and hurl itself in fury at the
West. Then we shall see.”
Skorzeny was introduced to the Nazi
Ardennes offensive, known by the Allies as
the Battle of the Bulge for the dent it made
into Allied lines. Hitler had decided to strike
across the Meuse River in Belgium and cap¬
ture Antwerp. Three great German armies
— which had been clandestinely positioned
under Allied noses — would break out of
the Ardennes Forest on the Belgian-German
frontier from Monschau to Echternach,
smash all resistance before them in two
days, leap 50 miles across the Meuse,
bypass Brussels and reach Antwerp within
the first week of the start of the offensive. It
was a bold and daring last gasp.
If the plan worked, the Allies would have
shattered armies and be faced with an evac¬
uation at Antwerp. Unlike the situation at
Dunkirk, the German Navy would be block¬
ading this time. The West would sue for a
74 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
separate peace and Hitler would wheel
about to face the Soviet colossus with his
full strength for the final showdown battle in
the east. Or so they hoped.
Skorzeny’s own part in all this was cru¬
cial. His men were to seize and hold the
Meuse River bridges between Leige and
Namur until the regular German troops ar¬
rived within the first two days to relieve
them. To accomplish this new mission, he
would raise a full armored brigade of Eng¬
lish-speaking troops in American uniforms,
with American vehicles and American
equipment; all used to sow confusion be¬
hind the enemy lines. When Skorzeny pro¬
tested that any of his men who were cap¬
tured would be shot as spies. Hitler pointed
out that the Allies—particularly the Amer¬
icans at Aachen, the first German city to fall
in the West — had long used just such
tactics.
Skorzeny reluctantly accepted the task
but was further dismayed when the Fuhrer
told him that the attack would begin in under
six weeks’ time and that — unlike his other
previous missions — he himself wouldn’t
be allowed to accompany his men. “We
cannot afford to lose you at this stage,”
concluded Adolf Hitler.
The mission was almost scrubbed when
Field Marshal Keitel sent a message to all
German Army units: “Very Secret: To Di¬
visional and Army Commands only. Offi¬
cers and men who speak English are wanted
for a special mission. Volunteers selected
will join a new unit under the command of
Lt. Col. Skorzeny, to whose headquarters at
Friedenthal application should be made.”
Skorzeny feared that the message would fall
into the hands of Allied Intelligence. It did.
But the cocky Allies — believing Germany
already defeated — ignored it.
Skorzeny plunged ahead with “Opera¬
tion Greif” (Griffin) and set up a school in
which his men had to forget Prussian smart¬
ness and heel-clicking in exchange for gum-
chewing, slang-usage and other peculiarly
American traits. Skorzeny built up his
forces — including 70 German tanks
camouflaged to look like American Sher¬
mans — and looked forward to the day that
he could unleash his commandos.
The offensive began on 16 December
1944 and it wasn’t long before some of
Skorzeny’s commandos wearing American
uniforms were captured. Before they were
shot by American firing squads, the com¬
mando prisoners admitted they were part of
a hit team tasked with getting the Supreme
Commander. That intelligence was quickly
passed along and a mere seven jeeps car¬
rying 28 phony “Americans” kept 500,000
real GIs on edge, challenging each other
constantly at roadblocks, and confined Ike
to his headquarters where he was sur¬
rounded by armed MPs.
Skorzeny had become a beneficiary of
Goebbels’ propaganda. The legend of Otto
Skorzeny dominated Allied thinking during
the Battle of the Bulge which gave the Nazis
a psychological victory. His men caused
great confusion by switching signposts and
Just another businessman: Engineering
consultant Otto Skorzeny walks the streets
of Madrid where he lived, until his death,
under the protection of Spanish dictator
Generalissimo Francisco Franco. Photo:
Keystone
steering U.S. troops in opposite directions
but it was essentially wasted effort.
Skorzeny’s commandos never reached
the Meuse and neither did any other German
troops. On 20 December, Skorzeny asked
for permission to use his brigade in a con¬
ventional armored attack on the Americans
opposite him at Ligneville. Waffen SS Gen.
Josef “Sepp” Dietrich approved. Dis¬
obeying Hitler’s order not to go into combat
himself, Skorzeny attacked the American
99th Infantry Battalion on the 21 st, and later
the 120th Infantry. That afternoon, while
under U.S. artillery fire, he was wounded
again, struck in the forehead by shrapnel. A
German Army doctor, after stitching up the
wound, ordered Skorzeny to a hospital in
the rear, but the burly SS commando just
grinned, and returned to the front to rejoin
his men.
By the end of December Skorzeny knew
that the battle was lost. He returned to Ger¬
many to face Hitler with his first major fail¬
ure in action. Hitler’s FHQ was now in the
Eagle’s Eyrie, a bunker near the Bad
Nauheim castle of Ziegenberg on the fron¬
tier. The Fuhrer, under the influence of his
physician’s drugs himself at this point, was
euphoric, and merely concerned about Skor¬
zeny’s wound. No mention was made of
failure, nor of the Fuhrer’s disobeyed orders.
After a secret conference lasting hours,
Skorzeny — Nazi Germany’s classic com¬
mando — left to begin a shift in his career
toward more conventional soldiering.
His last active fighting role in the war
began with a telephone call on 30 January
from Himmler. He’d just been named to
command Army Group Vistula and Himm¬
ler ordered Skorzeny to take his men to the
town of Schwedt on the Oder River outside
Berlin. The commandos were to stage a
last-ditch resistance to the final Russian
offensive hurtling toward the Reich capital
like an express train.
Skorzeny took a parachute battalion and
four companies of special troops made up of
many European nationalities who had en¬
listed to fight under the Germans against the
feared Russians. At this “Schwedt Bridge¬
head,” Skorzeny eventually built up a divi¬
sion-sized formation by waylaying retreat¬
ing German Armyregulars and local reserve
forces.
Between February-March 1945, Skor¬
zeny’s men fought a tenacious holding ac¬
tion. At Konigsberg (King’s Mountain),
Skorzeny turned ruthless, hanging Nazi
Party officials who deserted their posts. The
activity made him an enemy of party chief
Martin Bormann, who disliked seeing his
minions killed. Still, Skorzeny remained a
popular figure. Gen. Jodi ordered Skorzeny
to leave his men behind at Schwedt and
return to FHQ, which was now in the under¬
ground Fiihrerbunker beneath the shattered
Berlin Reich Chancellery building.
Prior to this last meeting between the
Fuhrer and Skorzeny, Hitler had briefly
considered sending his commando chief to
beef up the Siegfried Line defenses guard¬
ing the Fatherland’s Western approaches.
Instead, on 7 March 1945, Jodi ordered
Skorzeny’s frogmen to blow up the Luden-
dorff railroad bridge at Remagen in an
attempt to once again.prevent the Allies
from crossing the Rhine into Germany.
Swimming in freezing water, the com¬
mandos failed to blow up the bridge but it
collapsed after the establishment of an
Allied bridgehead on the Rhine’s German
side. They swam upstream to destroy a U.S.
Army pontoon bridge but were spotted by
the beams of the Allies’ top-secret CDL
(Canal Defense Lights). Two men drowned
and the rest were captured. Skorzeny him¬
self helped evacuate other wounded men.
And now, late in March 1945, Skorzeny
conferred with Adolf Hitler for the last time.
“Skorzeny, I haven’t yet thanked you for
your stand on the Oder. Day after day it was
the one bright spot in my reports. I have
awarded you the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s
Cross and I mean to hand them to you my¬
self. Then you can give me a full account.
For the future, I have other work for you.”
They were interrupted and the aging dictator
shuffled off, never to see Otto Skorzeny
again.
As April 1945 approached, Skorzeny’s
name was still magic among Nazi Ger¬
many’s enemies and Hitler meant to take
advantage of this. Skorzeny’s last assign¬
ment was to proceed to Bavaria in southern
Germany to organize the last stand of
diehard Nazis in the fabled — but non¬
existent — “Alpine Redoubt.” Allied In-
Continued on page 93
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 75
COUNTERFEIT GUNS EXACT SIZE WORK¬
ING METAL MODELS THAT LOOK, FEEL, WEIGH AND
HANDLE LIKE THE ORIGINALS. CAN BE •‘FIELD-STRIPPED."
CANNOT BE MADE TO FIF^E REAL BULLETS. DELIVERED
»• FULLY
ISEMBLED
CANNOT
BE MADE
TO FIRE!
SEND FOR
FREE COLOR
CATALOG OF
OVER 50
MODEL GUNS
MILITARY KNIVES QUALITY REPRODUC¬
TIONS OF FAMOUS, HISTORICAL EDGED WEAPONS AND
MILITARY KNIVES,
U.S. M3 FIGHTING KNIFE.
07-04B .
. $22 PPD
FAIRBAiRN-SYKES COMMANDO KNIFE
07-014 .. $29 PPD
ifu/T tfuie 1
ALL KNIVES
HAVE SCABBARDS
GERMAN HJ YOUTH KNIFE
07-09 ...... $23 PPD
FREE COLOR CATALOG SHOWS OVER 50 DIFFERENT TYPES
OF EDGED WEAPONRY FROM BATTLE AXES TO SAMURAI
SWDRDS TO FULL-SIZE SUITS OF ARMOUR.
MEDALS & BADGES PERFECT REPLICAS
HIGHEST QUALITY.
THIS "RUPTURED DUCK" IS
MADE FROM ORIGINAL DIES.
U.S. WWII DISCHARGE BUTTON
14-018 - $8 PPD
GERMAN WWI "BLUE MAX"
14-01 (W/RIBBON) ... $23 PPD
14-77 (NECK CHAIN) $13 PPD
BRITISH WWII RAF OR
WWI RFC PILOT WINGS
15-118 (RAF) . ... .... $15 PPD
15-11C (RFC) .$13 PPD
FREE COLOR CATALOG SHOWS OVER 50 DIFFERENT TYPES
OF MILITARY INSIGNIA, MEDALS, BADGES, FLAGS, ETC.
CREDIT CARD ORDERS, NO INQUIRIES , PHONE TOLL FREE
1-8QG-638-2000 (IN MD: 800-831-4300)ORDERS ONLY! ^
■ E> 19 ■ ■ Hi MAIL NO RISK COUPON TODAY 1 Wm Wm m ■■ m B BTI
■ COLLECTORS ARMOURY, INC. __, piEASE
■ ■«« c, ,r CBC . amt SEND FREE
I_I CATALOG
MAIL NO RISK COUPON TOOAY 1
COLLECTOR S ARMOURY, INC.
800 SLATERS LANE
P.O. BOX 1061, DEPT. SO
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22313 USA
□ MONEY ORDER □ CHECK ENCLOSED $
CHARGE TO MY: □ VA □ MC □ AX □ CB □ DC
(EXPIRATION OATE)
PRINT NAME .
ADDRESS.
CITY.
10 MINIMUM CHARGE
I STATE/ZIP.
Immm mm ‘
-—J
BG-15
Continued from page 30
being bombarded by a British two-inch
mortar, a weapon he remembered fondly
from his time training with the SAS in
the 1960s. The grenade itself is probably
similar in effect to its U.S. counterpart,
weighing about .2 kilogram with about a
five-meter lethal radius against exposed
troops. Shrapnel wounds will be
produced anywhere within the round’s
15-20-meter bursting radius. The round is
unpainted except for standard Soviet
ordnance stencils. It is fitted with a
point-detonating fuse.
Since there were only two rounds of
BG-15 ammo available — both needed
for test-firings — we passed on the
opportunity to chunk one downrange. It’s
difficult to determine the grenadier's
basic unit of fire for the BG-15 but
there’s little doubt he could handle an
extended patrol without running out of
rounds. The light weight of the ammo
and the launcher — I estimate it weighs
about one kilogram — indicates a
rifleman armed with the BG-15 could
carry enough ammo in his haversack for
a day of steady contact.
The grenade launcher has been in use
for more than two years in Afghanistan.
Squads of eight to 10 infantrymen are
frequently equipped with one or two. It is
regularly used to engage Afghans by
direct fire and has been effective in
breaching standard cover. Because it is
impossible to dig in on rocky crests, the
Afghans build breastworks of stones
called sangars. A burst of Kalashnikov
fire will splatter across a sangar , but a
40mm grenade may demolish it. In a war
where the chief Afghan tactic is the
ambush, the 40mm grenade also
apparently makes a good contact breaker.
The Soviet infantry has become a
much more capable force in the course of
the Afghanistan War. Before that, the
Soviets had not considered what would
be needed for extended, dismounted
operations when their infantry cannot
fight as part of a combined-arms,
mechanized force with tanks and armored
vehicles in direct support. Experience in
Afghanistan has changed that. The
appearance of BG-15 grenade launchers,
as well as tactical shifts, is evidence of
the Soviet realization that they need more
infantry firepower to fight this sort of
war.
Other evidence can be found in the
appearance of the RPG-18s, a Soviet
copy of the U.S. M76 LAW anti-tank
weapon. Afghans report RPG-18s are
being carried by Soviet troopers in
virtually all engagements these days.
Like U.S. infantry in Vietnam and
British troops in die Falklands, the
Soviets have found a LAW-type weapon
valuable for shifting snipers or holing
houses and bunkers. One round will blow
VERTICAL
WORK
requires the specialist
equipped with the right
gear. For over six years,
CMC has been equipping
and training special
operation teams with
satisfied customers from
the FBI and Secret Service
down to the smallest
department. Whether
police or military, CMC
offers the finest equipment
available, backed by
experienced advice.
CMC is the national
distributor for CMC
Harnesses, Web Gear,
and Rappel Gloves; SMC
Carabiners, Russ
Anderson Figure 8s, and
rappel ropes from
Wellington-Puritan and
PMI. Also, ask about the
CMC Tactical Rappel
Course.
ask for our free catalog
dealer inquiries invited
California Mountain
Company, Ltd.
P.O. Box 6602
Santa Barbara, CA 93160
800-235-574(1
805-967-5654 (inside CA)
76 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
ALL VITAL PARTS
□ SAGE GREEN OR BLACK
U.SAF. FLYING JACKETS MA-1
with International
Orange
Inside Liner
\\ not Certain
of Sbn
SlSSi-
Nylon shell. High quality steel
zipper front. Knit collar, cuffs and
waistband. 100% polyester batting
lining. Fully reversible. Sage
green with international orange
inside liner. Two inner and two
outer pockets. Zipper pocket and
pen holders on left sleeve.
Sizes available: Regular Length
Only F.S.N. 1615-522-6014
XS, S, M, L.$44.95
for XL.$49.95
□ M65 ORIGINALGl. GREEN
OR WOODLAND PATTERN
CAMOUFLAGE FIELD
JACKET
Outer shell 50% cotton, 50% nylon¬
lining. 100% cotton, heavy duty
construction, heavy duty brass
zipper, waist draw string (to keep
in body heat) plus fold-a-way hood
which stores in collar. Regular
Length Only.
Available in X-SM, S, M, L.. $4955
(Specify size) XL.$5455
□ FLOATKNIFE
The Ultimate Hollow Handle of
space age DuPont Zytel with a stain¬
less steel blade. This medical-
survival kit is so light it floats! The
handle is imprinted with Morse
Code and Emergency Rescue Sig¬
nals and contains the vital necessi¬
ties for survival. Water tight handle
is sealed by cap with a built-in lum¬
inous, fluid-filled compass.. $3455
□ PAC-AX
This axe can safely open and close
for easy carrying in a belt-loop
pouch. Sharp cutting edge is due to
the high carbon forged steel head.
Cutting edge 2Vz. Open length 11%".
Closed size 3V«"x6 M . A handy tool
for hunters, campers, fisherman
and survivalist.. $2455
□ LATEST G.l. ISSUE □ 45,000 VOLTS IN THE
WOODLAND PATTERN PALM OF YOUR HAND
CAMOUFLAGE FATIGUES NOVA XR-5000 NON
Reinforced at all stress points- LETHAL STUN GUN
knees, backside, elbows, etc. Made
of heavy duty construction 50% cot-
ton 50% nylon. Jackets have 4 I9L
pockets. Pants have 6 pockets with
adjustable waist straps and ankle
draw strings + zipper fly + Safe, Effective and Legal. Uses a
pelt l0 ° ps : vc c m , rechargeable 9 volt Nickel-
Specify Size XS S ML Cadmium Battery. Weighs only 8
Buy complete set for $52.20 IS28.95 ozs . Measures 6 » x2 V/'xiy 8 ". Small
ee). For XL size add $2.00 for pants enough t0 carry in hand or purse .
or jacket, or $4.00 per set. Complete with battery recharging
□ A CATALOGUE unit and holster. ONLY $895!
COLLECTION OF 20TH □ U.S. G.l. SLEEPING PAD
CENTURY WINCHESTER
REPEATING ARMS CO. l 11 J ^
by Roger C. Rule
I,,,~ mm Products authorized by
Tj Winchester (Olin Corp.) in Latest 1985 issue. Replaces former
20 th / I 400 pages x 101/fl T leaky air matresses. Lightweight-
enturv / I This volume contains a roll-uD desian 8" Diameter rolled ur
Safe, Effective and Legal. Uses a
rechargeable 9 volt Nickel-
Cadmium Battery. Weighs only 8
ozs. Measures 6"x2V4"xiy8". Small
enough to carry in hand or purse.
Complete with battery recharging
unit and holster. ONLY $8955
□ US.G.I. SL EEPING PAD
Cl 21
This volume contains a roll-up design 8" Diameter rolled up.
large format, individual Overall Dimensions 24" W x 6'2" L.
photographs of every fire- Perfect for camping or backpacking,
arms model in this time Only.$1155
□ LC-2 STEEL & ALUMINUM
PACK FRAMES 1985 ISSUE
Complete with padded
shoulder straps quick [ ■[ M
release attachments. 9IH
Brand New the finest jfi,
cargo transporter in HfHp
existence.$59.95 if 1 i
□ U.S. NAVY SWAT
CAP
I Depression). $2955 (plus
— t $ 4.00 ship.)
□ U.S. ARMY LC-1 (ALICE PACK)
Available in black, tiger stripe,
and woodland pattern.
Sizes: 7,7 V., 7Vz ...$555
□ 5 BUTTON SWEATER
ORIGINAL G.l. 100%
Acrylic O.D. Green and Colored Sweaters
Sizes Available small, medium,
large or extra large.$1955
■S f arms model in this time Only.$1155
: -52E?) theTentury 1 to^the" Great □ NEW 1985 ISSUE ORIGINAL
J Depression). $2955 (plus Gl SLEEPING BAG
n $4.00 ship.) 1) Mountain, M1949 Sleeping Bag
U.S. ARMY LC-J (ALICE PACK) FSN 8465-242-7855 Temperature
~|- range from -14 to 50° (-26° to
+10°c). $5955
2) Intermediate Cold, Type I
FSN 8465-518-2804 Temperature
range from -40 to +10° F (-40° to
-12° c) $8955
3) ExtremeCoid,Type II FSN 8465-
518-2804 Temperature range
S. Army LC-1 (Alice Pack) $5955 from +10° F. (-12°c) and below
rand new G.l. back pack designed ..... $19995
carry loads up to 50 lbs. Com- □ ELIMINATOR BOOT
ete with shoulder straps, quick CHAMPION IN THE LIGHT-
lease buckles & attachment loops r>i\ /jci^m
r carrying extra equipment. Water WEIGHT DIVISION
pellent, rip stop nylon. O.D. green. A sturdy, comfortable boot for all
j DETEST Q | LC-1 NYLON types of situations. Constructed of
rAMnATL .AnMrrf ^ ^ durable, space-age Gortex and
COMBAT HARNESS nylon Cordura fabrics. Rugged, oil
U.S. Army LC-1 (Alice Pack) $5995
Brand new G.l. back pack designed
*to carry loads up to 50 lbs. Com¬
plete with shoulder straps, quick
release buckles & attachment loops
for carrying extra equipment. Water
repellent, rip stop nylon. O.D. green.
□ LATEST G.l. LC-1 NYLON
ASSEMBLY
Save $10.00 outfit in¬
cludes: 1 pair adjustable
LC-1 suspenders, 1 can¬
teen with cover, 2 M16
pouches (hold 3-30 rd
mags, each), 1 pistol
belt, 1 neoprene intrench¬
ing tool carrier and 1
resistant, non-slip Vibram outsole.
Approx. 12 oz. total weight. 8” high
with firm padded ankle collar. $8995
indicate size: Regular/Wide 8-13
^CATALOG
^Everything is here, hard to Find parts,
? accessories & gear. Please send a dollar
SHERWOOD
International Export Corporation
ABOUT YOUR ORDER
Minimum Order $ 10.00 plus Min¬
imum $ 2.50 to cover postage,
insurance and handling. Calif,
residents add 6/2% sales tax. All
major credit cards accepted.
SORRY, NO C.O.D.'s. If not sure
about size, send measurements.
CALL TOLL FREE
800-423-5237 caiifomi
tool carrier and 1 first aid dressing/ (Refundable !sn first order) to cover our
^ com-pass case.. $42.80 postage & handling charges.
r Mail to: SHERWOOD INTERNATIONAL
18714 PARTHENIA ST., DEPT SF6, NORTHRIDGE,
CALIFORNIA 91324
I Sorry No C.O.D.s: Send □ Check □ Money Order
, □ American Express □ Diners Club
□ MasterCard/Visa
□ Carte Blanche
Catalog is free with order
__Expr. date
.Signature-
California Residents Call 818-349-7600
Copyright 1985
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 77
Put Your Carbine on the MAP!
Ml — MAP*
(Metal Assault Package) Pat. Pending
From this:
Each kit includes:
•Steel Receiver assembly with push button extending stock and high impact plastic pistol grip
•Steel ventilated barrel 1 shroud which replaces handguard
•1-set Quick Detachable swivels
•1-Flash Hider
•1-30 Rd. magazine Extended:
Specs:
Black parkerized finish. Ventilated barrel
shroud, which also replaces hand guard,
gives superior cooling. Push-button extending
stock, Q D Swivels, Flash Hider, Nylon Sling,
One 30 rd. mag.
Finally, an aggressive, functional package
to give your cal, .30 Ml carbine a submachine
configuration! This high quality, all steel pack¬
age (except high impact plastic hand grip), is
easy to install without special tools.
Wt. (assembled, w/FIash Hider): 6.25 lb.
length retracted ” : 34”
length extended ” : 38.5’'
Fits all Cal, .30 Ml Carbines - Please
specify make. Easy installation. Instructions
included.
Prompt shipment: Orders received will be shipped within 3 days. $89.95 each kit - All
N.C. residents add $4.05 sales tax. $3.00 shipping charge per kit, COD orders add $2.00.
Visa/MC, money order. Personal check orders held 2 weeks. Orders call Toll Free
1-800-438-7934 (US) or 1-800-222-1062 (NC) Dealer Inquiries - please write for information.
30 Day, Money back guarantee - If you
are not completely satisfied please
return post paid for full refund less
shipping & handling charge.
Fine Ordnance Company
Old Beatty Ford Road
P.O. Box 226
Gold Hill, NC 28071
or call (704) 463-1281
STUN GUN
• FITS IN SHIRT POCKET
• VISUAL AUDIBLE DISPLAY
• IMMOBILIZES WITHOUT HARM
• GREAT RAPE DETERRENT
• RECHARGEABLE POWER PACK
SEND $49.50
To AMAZING CONCEPTS DEPT. SF BOX 716
AMHERST, NH 03031 • FREE CATALOG
Produces 40,000 VOLTS
SIZZLING PLASMA
the components of a sangar into the next
province. Soviet troops are also carrying
HE rounds for the RPG-7 to be used in
the infantry support role where tanks are
absent. At company level, the AGS-17
automatic grenade launcher continues to
take Afghan lives.
The Soviets have not forgotten the
importance of ballistic missiles or tank
divisions but from their experiences in
Afghanistan they are coming to realize it
is the man on the ground fondling the
Kalashnikov and BG-15 that will prop up
the world's last great military empire,
gained by conquest and maintained by
fear.
While we were the first Westerners to
handle the BG-15 grenade launcher in the
field, the Afghans told us that some had
already been taken out of the country.
More than one example is already in the
hands of more than one friendly nation.
It's reassuring to know that the
professionals can still best amateurs in
technical intelligence — at least some of
the time.
There’s an interesting story to go with
that but it’s better to let the KGB sweat
over who has their weaponry and how it
was obtained. Even the most heavily
armed and paranoid forces have
dangerous enemies. I'm proud to be one
of those enemies and help defeat the
Soviets in Afghanistan any way I can.
You can do it too. A donation to
Soldier of Fortune's Afghan Freedom
Fighter Fund (P.O. Box 693, Boulder,
CO 80306) will not only put you on the
opposite side from the KGB and their
friends, but it will gain you the gratitude
of my mujahideen friends who — like
Safi, Hassan and the graybeards from
Kunar — shook our hands, exchanged
salaams, and headed over the next
mountain toward home — or death at the
hands of the Soviet invaders. ^
GUN JAMS
Continued from page 63
the bases will jam tight into the chambers.
One last stoppage which bears mention¬
ing is the magazine which fails to drop free
of the pistol when the magazine release is
pressed, preventing the shooter from re¬
loading. This is generally caused by an
oversized magazine, or by a round remain¬
ing in the magazine, nosing forward against
the feed ramp to bind the box in place. If the
shooter is properly trained in reloading tech¬
nique, he will already have the fresh maga¬
zine in his weak hand approaching the pistol
when the used magazine’s failure to drop
free becomes apparent. Do not stand there
shaking the pistol. It won’t work.
Simply hook the little finger of the weak
hand on the forward lip of the floorplace of
the stuck magazine and strip it out of the
pistol. If more force is needed than you can
78 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Brings fireworks to gour door!!!
Phone Toll Free or Send Check or Money Order 1-800-843*8758 or 605-348-7558
Order Early! VISA — MasterCard — American Express Orders Order Early!
FREE GIFTS WITH ORDER!
$50 Order: 1 Free gross Black Cat Bottle Rockets
$100 Order: Free Bottle Rockets & Black Cat 40/12
Firecrackers
$500 Order: Free case of Black Cat Bottle Rockets
All merchandise shipped via UPS at $5.00 shipping and handling rate
except CA, MA, NJ, CT, NH, ME, AZ, OK, Alaska, end Hawaii.
Call for information concerning delivery in these states.
We need your street address or location.
We cannot ship to post office boxes.
We reserve the right to make substitutions for out-of-stock items.
L
ITEM NUMBER AM NAME Retail Value
Your Cost
ASSORTMENTS
25A Partytime.
$ 36.85
$ 25.00
50A Showcase.
. . .78.40
50.00
100A Extravaganza.
. . 150.10
100.00
Display Quantity
Case Quantity
FIRECRACKERS
Price
Price
01 Ladyflngers.
1600 firecrackers
$ 6.35
32 pci
$139.50
02 T-Bomb.
. .640 firecrackers
5.50
24 pci
99.90
03 T-Bomb.
. 1280 firecrackers
9.40
12 pet
99.90
04 T-Bomb.
.2000 firecrackers
10.80
8 pci
99.10
05 Black Cat.
.480 firecrackers
5.10
32 pci
115.90
06 Black Cat.
1600 firecrackers
15.90
10 pci
129.90
07 M-60.Box of 72 firecrackers
15.00
20 boxes
239.00
ROMAN CANDLES
08 5-Ball Chinese Candle,
.1 doz.
$ 4.50
09 8-Ball Chinese Candle.
.1 doz.
6.00
12d02.
$ 60.00
10 10-Ball Candle w/report
.1 doz.
8.50
12doz.
86.90
Display
Display
SMOKE AND NOVELTIES
Quantity
Price
Colored Smoke Balls.6doz.
Tank w/report.. 1 doz.
Beehive. 4 each
Booby Traps.... 1 doz. boxes
Happy Lamps. 1 doz.
Sky Wheel Parachutes. 1 doz.
Red Rat Chaser w/report. 144 pieces
Jumping Jacks. 576 pieces
SPARKLERS, PUNK, AND FOUNTAINS
19 #8 Gold Black Cat Sparklers. 1 doz. boxes
20 #10 Colored Sparkers. Idozboxes
21 Ground Bloom Flowers. 3doz.
22 Chinese 5’* Fountain Assortment. 1 doz.
23 #3 Cone Fountain Assortment.. 1 doz.
$ 0.90
5.50
6.00
2.50
0.90
5.90
7.50
11.90
$ 3.60
5.50
5.50
5.90
9.10
Display Display
MISSILES AND AIRPLANES Quantity Price
24 5" Missiles w/effect. 1 doz. $ 5.40
25 Whistling Gemini Missiles. 2 doz. 0.40
26 Giant Missiles.,. 1 doz. 13.90
27 Small Sunflower Airplane.2 doz. 3.60
20 Satellite Airplane.2doz. 3.60
29 Bomber Helicopter w/report. 1 doz. 6.90
30 Night Flying Plane. 1 doz. 6.90
31 Giant Chinese Airplane Assortment.1 doz. 12.90
32 Giant 2-Stage Silver Jets. 1 doz. 16.90
NIGHT DISPLAY SHELLS
33 Chinese 4" Assortment. 1 doz. $5.10
34 Chinese 5‘* Assortment. 1 doz. 11.90
35 Chinese 7” Assortment. 1 doz. 15.90
36 40-Shot Color Pearl Shell. 2 each 6.75
37 News Transmitter.2 each 6.75
38 Saturn Missile Battery. 2 each 5.40
39 Frightened Birds. 2 each 6.75
40 Large Garden In Spring.2each 10.90
41 Chrysanthemum or Peony Shell. leach 11.90
42 Olde Glory Festival Ball Shell Assortment... 1 doz. 16.00
SKY ROCKETS
43 Black Cat Bottle Rocket w/report. 12 doz. $ 5.40
44 Chinese Bottle Rocket w/report. 12 doz. 5.10
45 Whistling Moon Rocket w/report. 12 doz. 7.90
46 1 oz. Rocket w/report. 1 doz. 3.50
47 Chinese Rocket Assortment. 1 doz. 5.40
48 4 oz. Black Cat Rocket w/effect. 1 doz. 8.50
49 8 oz. Super Rocket w/effect. 1 doz. 11.80
50 8 oz. Black Cat Rocket w/report. 1 doz. 11.80
51 Giant West Lake Rocket Assortment. 1 doz. 10.90
ITEM
NUMBER
QUANTITY
PRICE
TOTAL
ANY ORDER SHIPPING AND HANDLING
$5.00
SEND CERTIFIED CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
TOTAL i
CHECK ONE: □ VISA □ MASTERCARD ^ AMERICAN EXPRESS
CARD NUMBER:_____
EXPIRATION DATE:_SIGNATURE: .
I hereby state and promise, as a condition of this sale, that I have
complied with the laws of the state of destination of the merchandise
and have or will obtain any necessary permits required by taw and wi'IT
use or sell said merchandise in strict compliance with alt applicable
laws, either city, state or federal.
I have read and understand this entire form and understand that
the seller, OLDE GLORY FIREWORKS and the agents of either, shall
not be liable In any civil action for any accidents or injury during the
transportation, handling, storage, sale or use of this merchandise
and hereby release the above named from ail liability whatsoever by
any person or entity. 1 understand that fireworks are dangerous and
assume all risks regarding them. I also understand as a condition of
this sale that 1 am over 18 years of age.
NAME_
STREET ADDRESS.
CITY, STATE_
SIGNATURE_
“Special Assault” Issue
Survival Knife/Tool by
Sturdy 6Y4” pun-blued 440 stainless
steel blade has saw-tooth back, black
metal finger grip handle with oversized
hilt and tie-down holes.
The watertight hollow handle accom¬
modates a survival kit (inch) consisting
of matches, needles, fishing line, hooks
& sinkers and a split ring finger saw.
Additional accessories include: all
steel hammer-head screw cap and
screw on butt cap with liquid filled
compass. The double stitch¬
ed, reinforced leather sheath
has sharpening stone, belt
loop, leg-tie thongs with split
rings to complete the
package.
List price_$49.95
This special issue survival knife...
designed to conquer the rugged out¬
doors, is a versatile, life-saving tool
suited for the hunter, camper, fisher¬
man and outdoorsmen, anywhere.
Safe or stranded...the perfect com¬
panion to have by your side!
C Gutmann
900 SO- COLUMBUS AVENUE, r
CUTLERY, INC.
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. 10550 1-800-431-2750
)
MIA’S & POW’S
DON’T FORGET THEM
FIND’EM BRING’EM HOME
We had such great response to the picture of our
jacket on page 35 in the March ‘85 issue of
S.O.F. that we had the same artist create this shirt
for you on a “Military Tan” 50/50 Blend, 1st
Quality American Made Tee Shirt OR Sweatshirt.
Silk Screened in Black
TEES: $8.99 + $1.50 Post. & Handling
SWEATS: $15.99 + $1.50 Post & Handling
BOTH AVAILABLE IN SMJMED.ILG./XLG.
Allow 4 to 6 Wks. for Del. / NY Res. Add 0.25% Sales Tax
Make Check or Money Order Payable To:
Visions International ltd.
P.0. Box 217
Staten island, NY 10309
apply with your finger (that’s rare), hook
the floorplate lip on a solid object: your belt,
the edge of your boot, etc. Note that this
otherwise-minor stoppage becomes a major
problem if the design of the weapon or
magazine, or the shooter’s ill-advised
choice of custom grips for his handgun,
prevents a finger-hold from being obtained
on the base of a hung magazine.
Two final points: reliability is the single
most important quality of any weapon. As
good as you may become at clearing stop¬
pages, if your weapon malfunctions with
the ammunition you carry in it more often
than “once in a blue moon,” you’d better
get the problem straightened out before it
straightens you out.
And bear in mind the instructions given to
the dumb Viking: “Rape and pillage first,
then burn the village.” Pay attention to
proper sequence in clearance procedures. A
weapon stoppage is a distracting occurrence
and especially distressing when it occurs at
a critical moment. It’s not the end of the
world if you’ve been well-trained. Once
you have cleared the stoppage, forget it and
concentrate on the problem at hand: sight
alignment and trigger-squeeze. ^
BUSH BOBBIES
Continued from page 37
side the house, he spied a fourth terrorist
and fired on him. He also took a fifth ten-
under fire and chased them all into the bush.
Field reservist de Robillard single-handedly
drove off the attack and saved the family
inside the house he was protecting.
The Police Reserve Air Wing was
manned by pilots and observers who owned
their own aircraft and made them available
for use on operational duties. There were
both male and female police reservists
flying in the operational area. Similarly, the
Marine Division was composed of reserv¬
ists who made their privately owned boats
available for operational duties on Lake
Kariba. They supplemented the efforts of
the Army’s Rhodesian Corps of Engineers
Boat Squadron and the gunboats of the
BSAP regulars. The larger craft were fitted
with radar in addition to mortars and guns
ranging up to 40mm. In that configuration
they were known as mother ships. These
craft were able to direct and provide fire
support for smaller striker boats (armed
with .303-inch MGs taken from WWII air¬
craft) to intercept water craft attempting to
land Zamhian-based terrorists on the
Rhodesian side of the lake.
One Marine Division escapade involved
regulars and reservists on a river patrol in
1976. Section Officer Thomas Matthews,
Patrol Officer Duncan Paul, and Field Re¬
servist Walter Bredenkamp were in one of
the two police launches carrying out a patrol
on the Zambezi River on 17 September
1976.
Both launches came under intense small-
80 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
YOU NEED
GUNS &
ACTION
Not just today, but every day! GUNS & ACTION Magazine is
written for you by people like you. Adventurous, action-oriented
individuals who are compelled to read and learn all they can
about the guns and gear they want to buy — before they buy
them.
GUNS & ACTION
We cover shooting, outdoor and accessory gear the way you want to see it — from a practical
user’s standpoint. We don’t rely on someone else’s word on equipment—we test it ourselves—in
the field — where it counts.
You need GUNS & ACTION to keep you up-to-date with the latest developments in the ever-
changing firearms arena. In each issue of GUNS & ACTION you’ll find:
• Handguns
• Rifles
• Shotguns
• Reloading
• Do-It-Yourself Projects • Extensive Field
• Adventure Travel Evaluation Features
• Money-Saving How-To Tips • And More!
• Action Fiction
Save money too! Subscribe to GUNS & ACTION today and save over 20% off the regular
single-copy price. Send in the order card attached — a one-year subscription for only $24.00. OR
you can save even more — over 26% off the two-year single-copy price — pay only $44 for a
two-year subscription.
DON'T DELAY — Subscribe today and join the adventurous, informed
readers of GUNS & ACTION!
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 81
LEA ... THE ONLY
INTELLIGENCE
CHOICE
1. THE DARK INVADER tim* in<ciiii£fOn&*
This second g8<ierat£>n sy*lem cam be inEarfacad with tGmm
w 35mm camerH. A pmMan atfardaWe 'filgfi performance mg*i
Tfiappn sysiam.
2 SLEUTH Mini BODY MICROPHONE designed
far do vert law wrfnreameni. Racaivar able la monitor six dtf-
f ErenL Irequaficias. i nlarfacas with all lypas of laps recorders
Mini 1 Iranamittera ara crystal oanlrcrilad-.
3. SENTINEL bug dacactaf, leatures, an exclusive
discrimination circuil. which petfmls you it> eliminate in*
inriare^™ by nornLaVlegiUmale Iramsmhtars in high signal
areas. Can be ifsad witti the supplied earner current detector
to find power line transmitters. Camp'ela with instructions,
antenna probe head phoney end carrying case.
UNLIMITED CAPA01LITY/HJGH RELIAGILITY
LtA offers a full range ol surveillance equipment, bomb cen¬
tral. contraband delection emergency supplies, optical equip¬
ment, eftme lab supplies, commueicatlcn systems, crowd con¬
trol and vine* Sfiecifliiy eq^ipmnnr. $#minart on electronic
surveillance and coumernieaSuraS voice atialysis. All d this,
an(j more, is daLailed in Ihe ell new 90 page LEA Products
Guide. Send SiO.OO tor each copy, applicable as a credit on
any Fixlirre purchases.
LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATES
/DO Plaza Drive, Harman Meadows/Houte S3 West
Secaucus, N.J. 07094, {201) *64-0001.
Telex 642073 LEA BLVL Cable LEA
fncji/j'i^ *it?nu7 our seminars
PYTHONS, DIAMOND BACKS
8> OTHER REPTILES .
SPECIFIC A TIONS:
STEEL 425 stainless, RC 56-58
BLADE LENGTH 6 inches
BLADETHICKNESS 3/16' with
1/2" spine and full tang
ARMOR-PIERCING POINT
Chisel grind for strength yet
needle sharp
EDGE Hollow ground razor sharp
GRIP — Shock absorbing
MAIL THIS NO RISK COUPON TODAY
SKULL CRUSHER Tapered semi
point with Lanyard hole
SHEATH
Heavy-duty black leather with
quick-draw velcro fastener
NAME_
(PLEASE ffllNT|
ADDRESS_
Please rush this many;
(ADD $1 + HANDLING TO COD ORDERS)
□ MONEY ORDER □ CHECK ENCLOSED S_
CALIF RESIDENTS INCLUDE SALES TAX
-CHARGE TO MY Q VISA □ M/C _PHONE # !
.M. J
(LIST ALL NUMBERS ON YOUR CREDIT CARD) (EXPIRES) I
I 2128 UNIT D, KNOLL DR., VENTURA, CA 93003 0R PHONE IN YOUR CREDIT CARD ORDER J
I DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED (805)656-5191 TOLL FREE: (800) 255-4716 SOF l
Li A I- L - G -Li 3 ---*_MONEY BACK (LESS POSTAGE) IF NOT SATISFIED -----_— — — - J
arms and rocket fire from the Zambian side
of the river, resulting in the second launch
being hit, with one of the crew being killed
and the other two wounded. The damaged
launch ran aground at the base of a cliff on
the Rhodesian bank, and as the fire was
being directed at it Section Officer Matth¬
ews pulled into the bank 200 meters away.
He and two of his crew went to the aid of the
stricken boat, through intense incoming
fire, while the remaining member provided
cover. Section Officer Matthews carried out
one of the wounded policemen leaving two
of his crew to protect the other wounded
policeman.
After carrying the wounded man back to
base, Matthews volunteered to return with
reinforcements and successfully carried out a
second Casevac in the dark. He was awarded
the Police Decoration for Gallantry.
The “A” reserve were mostly past-
service regular policemen and women who
served in the police stations to release regu¬
lars from police work for operational duties.
Specialists served in all parts of the coun¬
try, wherever they might be needed to repair
vehicles or radio equipment or weapons,
and to build defensive positions for police
camps in the operational area. Gokwe
looked like Dien Bien Phu after the second
terrorist attempt to over-run that police
camp. And the police camp at Vila Salazar
looked more like Khe Sanh once the daily
exchanges started with FRELIMO (Army of
Mozambique) on the other side of our south¬
east border.
We had weapons, tactics and organiza¬
tion for the bush, but urban terrorism re¬
quired a different response from that sup¬
plied by PATU. Urban Emergency Units
(UEU) were introduced experimentally in
Bulawayo in J975 and, since they proved
successful, also in Salisbury, Gwelo and
Umtali in 1976. Much like U.S. SWAT
teams, the BSAP UEUs were manned by
members of the regular force who were spe¬
cially trained to respond to urban terrorism,
hostage situations, aircraft hijackings and
the entire range of urban criminal activity.
Each UEU consisted of two or more
teams of nine men, and a woman patrol
officer who was responible for the search
and guarding of female prisoners. Teams
were as lightly equipped as possible and
were armed from their own resources as the
situation dictated.
I was lucky enough to see the Gwelo
UEU in action in the middle of 1977, and
picked up some of the finer points of their
operation. Because they were primarily
concerned with fighting in a built-up area,
they had detailed plans of the African
township and other residential areas of
Gwelo. They always had house plans avail¬
able before they tried an entry into a terror¬
ist-held building. Also, because of the war¬
footing on which they were able to operate,
they were not restrained by the normal
police principle of “minimum force.”
That meant hardware. In addition to hand
grenades and gas, they were able to employ
anti-tank rifle grenades against enemy-
82 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
■SLACK
TORES!
DISTANT SOUND DETECTOR
MULTIPLIES SOUND 5000 TIMES
The vansieek farfoon a
Receptivity plus convenient size.
The VanSleek Farfoon combines
the parabolic dish Sound Mirror
of the Double Farfoon with the
handy size of the smaller Hunters
Ear. The result is a superior direc¬
tional receptor without the
widespread large dish receptors
which in many applications are
cumbersome to use and trans¬
port. The VanSleek Farfoon uses
the same type retrograde sound
as the Double Farfoon. Take
VanSleek into tight places. Enjoy
the mirrored sound gathering not
possible with direct receiver pro¬
ducts.
The VanSleek FARFOON is the
most sophisticated yet devel¬
oped of the sound devices.
FOON
THE VanSleek
FARFOON
BLACK FOREST
SWORD CANES
We’ve just received a
shipment of the sturdiest
and finest quality we have
ever seen ... flitch-cut
solid hard maple canes
made in West Germany
with the smooth and lus¬
trous finish you love to
stroke. Strong, curved
handles. The grain of this
wood glows with an inner
beauty that recalls der
Schwarzwald. The con¬
cealed sword is an abso¬
lutely top quality stainless
steel blade ca. 32 inches
long inside the 36-inch
cane. Twist handle Va turn
and sword slides out ef¬
fortlessly. Positive catch
holds blade firmly and
securely upon reshea¬
thing of sword. A real
collectors’ buy at
$140.00 A
Farther than TWO Faotball Fields
NEW! "SOUND CUT-OUT' CIRCUIT
ORDER TOLL FREE 1 (800) 821-5157
BIONIC EAR $68
postpaid
Our price $68 and that includes
shipping. Optional booster $39 .
Our Bionic Ear also comes with built-
in tape jack. Others don’t.
KNIVES Masterfully hand-crafted by skilled Solingen cutlers
carbon steel blade $49.00 10-123
edges honed to razor sharpness Select Indian stag horn
handle. Medium clip
and pen blades. 3 W
■fLi - closed.
SAP
GLOVES
( INVISIBLE)
LEAD I
NOVA
50,000 VOLTS)
FREE Leather Holster
$59.50
Full trigger-finger dexterity
will instantly
scramble an attacker's ner-
vous system causing mimed-
late (temporary) paralysis'
By simply touching your
attacker anywhere he will drop
helpless even through many
layers ol clothing Uul nut
lethal
Charger & battery $16
Cleverly sewn into each glove is B ounces of lead, so evenly dis¬
tributed that it is impossible to tell irom any fine quality pair of
gloves. They are soft and comfortable, and well worth the price
even if they did not carry the special "punch" inside (heir back and
knuckles. Normally not available except to policy departments,
and possible not for long Irom us. We made a lucky buy and when
these are sold we may not be able to get any more. Quantity is limit¬
ed. Specify small, medium and large.
GERMAN FOREST
DAGGER .
f the DUTCHMAN $
I Dept. J7 ■
_ j| 9071 METCALF Suffe 158 5
We Pay Shipping OVERLAND PARK KS 66212 ■
10" Solingen blade, luxurious
nickel/silver trimmings and
genuine stag horn handle. Black
leather sheath. Finely crafted
with painstaking attention to de¬
tail. A true collector’s item
... limited quantity.
NOVA XR5000 STUN GUN
Name.
MC/VISA, COD, CHECK or MO
Please ship:-
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 83
Sterner’s Commander is absolutely among the
best binoculars ever made.
Their brightness is extraordinary even under low
lighting conditions. Thanks to Steiner’s com¬
pact, concentrated and powerful optics.
They’re lightweight too. Fiber reinforced poly¬
carbonate makes them lighter and more durable
than conventional binoculars.
A rugged, rubber-coated exterior enables you a
firm grip. Makes them slip-and-slide-proof.
What’s more, Steiner’s Commander features:
• An integrated compass for identifying the loca¬
tion of an object with pinpoint accuracy. Right
through the lenses. Under your target image.
• Water-proof, noise-free,
and shock-proof.
• Soft eyepieces and Dis¬
tance/height scale.
• Steiner: Military binocu¬
lars for over 40 nations.
• Custom options such as
reticles for target iden¬
tification available. Other
Steiner Military-Marine models: 6 x 30 Compact,
7x50—the brightest, 10x50—high power,
15x80— highest powered hand-held binocu¬
lars, 24 x 80 telescope, plus Rifle scopes, Elec¬
tronic image intensifiers, Periscopes. Inquire
about optical sub-contracting.
occupied structures.
Before we went in, the ENERGA rifle
grenade had its firing pin exposed by re¬
moving the screw-on safety cap. The
ENERGA hit the window glass of the target
building and spraying the occupants with
molten lead and gas. The entry team all
sustained slight wounds when terrorist gre¬
nades exploded in the confines of the lounge
room but they were protected from serious
injury by their heavy body armor and, be¬
lieve it or not, their heavy denim coveralls.
Many fine pieces of shrapnel were later
shaken out of the denim cloth covering their
arms and legs.
Other units of the BSAP that did sterling
work in the bush were: Dog Section (track¬
ing), the Special Investigation Sections (SIS
were the BSAP’s LRRPs for recon missions
in the Tribal Trust Lands of Rhodesia), and
Support Unit (the largest regular infantry
regiment in Rhodesia. They were definitely
Rhodesia’s best at extended patrolling and
internal clandestine work.
During a three-year contract as a colonial
policeman in the British South Africa Police
a young man could expect to see plenty of
action. The BSAP made the transition from
contract colonial patrols to becoming one of
the finest combat units deployed in a war
characterized by tough fighting and crack
units to do that fighting. ^
Call our Instant Info SPECIAL HOTLINE at 1-800-257-7742
(NJ, Alaska, outside continental USA, Call 609/854-2424) Or Write
PIONEER & CO. , 216 Haddon Ave„ Westmont, NJ 08108
J
“Make no mistake about it, Pete Gerber isn’t getting noble in his old age. The simple truth
is, Benchmark Knives recently became a division of Gerber Legendary
Blades and the TACII represents our combined expertise.
“Specially designed for rapid deployment, it’s part of the next genera¬
tion of survival knives created exclusively for us by world A ^ lutiomryinter , x y nsmec ^ m
renowned knife designer Blackie Collins. FmAslhe
“But enough words. Pick up a TAC II and feel it. I’m certain you’ll endorse
my endorsement.’ ? — Pete Gerber, Chairman, Gerber Legendary Blades
"Why the
Legendary Blades
endorses the
Benchmark
knif ”
TAC n
#20110 6" blade. Overall length 11"
For your free TAC Series^catalog sheet, write: Blade thickness .157.' Rockwell C57-59.
GERBER
LEGENDARY^jUj^BLADES
14200 S. W. 72nd Ave., P.O. Box 23088, Portland, OR 97223, (503) 639-6161
[HOME
A
Competition & Combat Accessories
Ruger Mini — 14
Binocular Combat Gunslght
Mini-14 Pistol Grip Stock
$45.00
■ Ventilated Hand Guard $8.00
Mini-14 Folding Stock $67.95
WASP SYSTEM scope mounts shown above are all steel with
fully adjustable rear aperature sight. No alterations reguired.
1252 — WASP Systems scope mount, blue w/Weaver Base . $49.95
B5098R14 - For Beeman SS-1 or SS-2 Scopes . . . $ 49.95
I I “HOHREIN” 9 7 4
I .22 Caliber Conversion Kit •
For the Ruger Mini-14 Series_
MINI-14 ACCESSORIES
236 Matching Ventilated Handguard....... $8.00
240 Cage Flash Suppressor W/Winged Front Sight, Blue.. $30.00 BHfC
241 Same as above in Stainless Steel.$33.00
.24$- M-14 Style Flash Suppressor W/Sight, Blue.$30.00
2*7 Same as above in Nitex Finish.$38.00
252 WASP Scope Mt. W/Rear Aperture, Blue .,. $49.95
!105 All Steel “Wooley Bugar” Bipod .. ....$48.00
2?3 Brass catcher, 180,181,182,183.. $24.95
?6B Brass Catcher, Ranch Model...$24.95
268 20rd Fed. Ord., Blue Magazine..... . $9.90
26S 20rd Fed. Ord., Nickel Magazine .....$13.00
251 20rd Ruger Magazine. $19.50
2E2 30rd Ruger Magazine. . $34.95 ggg j fr. ... .
259 30rd Fed. Ord., Blue Magazine..... ..$12.75
2H 30rd Fed. Ord., Nickel Magazine .......$15.00 ,
260 40rd Fed. Ord., Blue Magazine. ...$22.00 PlStOl Grip StOCk
267 40rd Ftd. Ord., Nickc-I iiagaunc . . .525.00
$45.00
The Occluded Eye Gunsight (O.E.G.) is simple to use and effective day or
night. During daylight the average shooter can raise the rifle, aim and fire
within two seconds. At night it’s just as fast, but unlike iron sights at night,
the O.E.G. is deadly accurate.
To use the O.E.G. the shooter, upon seeing a target, raises the rifle to the
firing position, keeping both eyes focused on the target. A red dot will appear
in sharp focus in the target area. {The dot will appear in sharp focus because
the gun sight simulates perceived distance.) The shooter merely moves the
weapon to place the dot on the target and fires to obtain a hit day or night.
The Armson O.E.G. has continuous illumination for ten years at which the
luminous cells can be replaced. The O.E.G. is 5*4 inches long and weighs
between 4% and 5ft ounces, depending on the type mount used.
An instruction and combat training manual is included with each gunsight.
Both eyes are used at the same time, binocular vision required.
#45 OEG Standard Model has 1" tube to fit 1" rings
and is 5.35“ long.. . .^. $129.95
#1.22 D/N Includes dovetail mount to fit ,22’s and airguns. Has 16mm eyepiece
lens instead of 24mm) and is 3.75 inches long .... 99.95
#3 AR-15 Includes;seethrough mount. Fastens to Colt AR 15 or M16 with
°ne nut... .. 159.95
#2 Mint-14 Ruger Mini 14 allows use of original iron sights. ....... 159.95
#2 H & K Includes see-through claw type mount activated by socket head
screws, fits models 91, 93, 94. G-3, MP-5. etc.. . . 189.95
#1 UZI 9mm model A, B, or full auto SMG. This see-through model will damp
to bolt cover and does not interfere with the operation of
cocking handle... , ........ 189.95
r 1 REM - Models 1100 and 870, 12 gauge shotguns. Needs four holes drilled
and tapped in the thicker part of the receiver away from the center
groove . ... 174.95
Ruger 10/22
Folding Stock $67.95
11201 BMF Activator $19.95
7100 FLASH SUPPRESSOR. 14.95
7110 CHOATE PLASTIC HANDGUARD.. 8.00
7118 RAMLINE 30RD. MAG.(BLACK)..9.95
7119 RAMLINE 30RD. MAG.(CLEAR).10.95
7120 EXTENDED MAGAZINE RELEASE..4.95
7109 50RD. MITCHELL DRUM.29.95
7106 30RD. ALL STEEL MAG.W/ADAPTER.20.00
7106A EXTRA 30RD. ALL STEEL MAG. ...12.95
11202 CLAMP ON BIPOD.12.00
11203C CAMO CASE FOR BIPOD. 5.00
11203B BLACK CASE FOR BIPOD. 5.00
11201 BMF ACTIVATOR .19.95
SATISFACTION
GUARANTEED
P. O. BOX 1995
EL DORADO, AR 71730
•d <d (2*.
C.O.D. ORDERS ACCEPTED
CALL TOLL FREE
1-800-643-1564
SENDS1
FOR CATALOG
l+l
IN CANADA CONTACT
MIL ARM CO. LTD.
10969 101ST. STREET
EDMONTON, ALBERTA T5H259
2101 N. COLLEGE
(501)863 5659
■♦I
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 85
NEW 6 FT. TAKE - DOWN BLOWGUN
SILENT POWERFUL
NEW SAFETY MOUTHPIECE
#“
SURVIVAL WEAPON
60-DAY MONEY
BACK GUARANTEE
DEALER
INQUIRIES WELCOME
Bore-Lock Cone Darts
$10.00 per 100
IMMED.
PEL.
Our guns come
fully assembled.
Not a kit that
you have to put
-| \ together,
Beaded Darts
$3.50 per 100
Broad head Tips
$10.00 per 100
(5 free with gun)
Don' t be fooled by
other's low prices.
This Is the finest
Blowgun on the market
You get combined:
2' Blowgun
3W Blowgun
AW Blowgun
6' Blowgun
AH for$24^98
plus 125 free darts
plus carrying tube
The NEW 4-in-1 Yaqua 6' Take-Down Blowgun combined. Through
modern engineering comes the first blowgun of its kind! Super Speed!
Low Friction! Dart flies out of chamber as never before. Great for hunters,
backpackers, hikers or any sportsman. Astound friends! Has range up to
200 ft. Can pierce Vfe" wood. NOT A TOY, dart Is spring steel. Clever kit
lets you adjust dart for large game or small. Kills varmits. Caliber is .40.
Safety mouthpiece is rubber of patented design. Material is camouflaged
aluminum. Comes in its own carrying tube. Complete with 125 dart kit.
$24.98 plus $2.00 postage & handling. Buy 3 guns, get 500 darts FREE.
Order by mail from: (PROHIBITED IN CALIFORNIA)
Midwest Sport Distributors, Inc.
(FORMERLY EXOTIC SPORTS, INC.)
Lucky St. Box 128 F Fayette, Mo. 65248
VISA. M. C„ AM. EXP.S C.O.D.
TOLL FREE 24 HRS.-ORDERS ONLY
J-800-248-5128or 1-800-227-1617ext. 601
Dealers buy 12 unite for only M65 plus postage _
Free with each
Blowgun
100 Bead Darts
&
25 Cone Heads
FREE 60-page
Catalog
with order
PLEIKU PUNCH-UP
Continued from page 69
body and tried to reach the dozer tank. We
found out the hard way that an NVA
machine-gunner still had it under observa¬
tion. It didn’t appear badly damaged. Most
of the smoke was coming from external
supplies and sponson gear. Crawling out of
there we marked the MG position for future
attention and got back to the ammo point.
Second platoon solved our tank-retrieval
problem. They came on the scene like a herd
of elephants. Jolting down an approach road
at 35 mph, they pulled up parallel with the
enemy gun positions and just rolled
through, crushing everything in sight be¬
neath their tracks. The way was clear to
retrieve the dozer tank.
At 1600 SFC Taylor came in to the re-arm
area at the controls of the vehicle. He’d
silenced the pesky MG with cannon fire,
rounded up the remaining crewmen, driven
his own tank up behind the dozer vehicle,
jumped aboard and drove off with it. The
turret was a blpody mess. A rocket had hit
one of the armored viewing ports and the
spray of armor glass had sheared off the
commander’s skull level with his ears. I
helped haul the body out and we added him
to a growing line of blanket-draped bodies
at one side of the compound.
The battalion CO, Colonel Williams,
who was up in a chopper, saw us as we came
Technology
& Tradition
AC
The popular Foxfire is designed for no-nonsense performance
and dependability. When you need a hard-hitting, accurate
crossbow that will take a beating and continue to perform
consistantly, the PSE FOXFIRE is the only answer.
SEE THE ENTIRE LINE OF PSE CROSSBOWS AND
ACCESSORIES AT YOUR PSE DEALER TODAY!
A
T7T!
Ml 00*5487, Dept M, Tijcscn, AZ 05703, (602) 8B4-9065
q f rMi StfgiV- £flQfll y, Alberto, Canada Ucefiad 'JAllen, Fii
yV. tVy FOXFIRE FEATURES:
^ • Strong, Reinforced, Glass-Filled Nylon E-Wheels
• ‘Magnaglass’ Power Limbs with Graphite and___
New Reinforced Half Rounds
• New Step Through Cocking Stirrup j
• ‘Auto Safe' Trigger Mechanism
• Aluminum Stock & Prod Unit
• Longer Lasting Continuous Cable
• Adjustable One Pin Sight
(Scope & Variable Mount extra)
• 125 lb. Draw Weight
• Limb Graphics
• Three ‘Fire-Flite’ Arrows
• Trackless Design for
Consistent Shooting and
Extended Cable Life.
combat weapons
military expo...
A unique, new opportunity! Participate in
and/or visit SOF Convention’s Combat
Weapons Military Expo at the Sahara Hotel,
Las Vegas, Nev., 20-22 September 1985.
SOF offers manufacturers and dealers unique
exposure at America’s biggest public military-
weapons exhibition. Sell or show with over 150
producers and distributors of the world’s finest
military and paramilitary equipment. And SOF
delivers the buyers.
More than a thousand conventioneers — fol¬
lowers of Soldier of Fortune, “The Journal of
Professional Adventurers” — will attend the ex¬
hibition. And they come to see and buy the best
that the arms industry has to offer. Thousands
more buy day passes to see 55,000 square feet
of modern firearms, outdoor equipment, knives,
SWAT gear, law enforcement, paramilitary and
military weaponry.
Exhibitors who have made previous arrange¬
ments may demonstrate their weapons systems
during a live-ammo firepower demonstration.
Previous demonstrations have included assault
rifles, shotguns, silencers, light and heavy
machine guns and 30mm cannons. This is the
only public exposition where manufacturers can
both display and fire their weapons systems.
For free convention information packet write:
SOF Convention, Inc., 4901 Indian Trail, Wilm¬
ington, NC 28403.
For free Combat Weapons Military Expo in¬
formation write: William Weber, 17100 Norwalk
Blvd., Suite 116, Cerritos, CA 90701.
For hotel reservations, call the Sahara Hotel
and Casino at (800) 634-6666 or the El Rancho
at (702) 796-2222.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 87
Dqnamil Nobel
For NEW 1985 "PRECISION PRODUCTS"
Catalog, send $2. for 1st class, or $1. for
3rd class delivery to:
DYNAMIT NOBEL OF AMERICA INC.
105 STONEHURST COURT, NORTHVALE, N. J. 07647
in and got on the lieutenant’s case over the
radio.
“Choice Shopper 3-6, this is Big 6,
there’s three of your tankers running around
loose down there. Get them rounded up
before they get killed.”
Somefik appeared a bit surprised and re¬
plied, 4 ‘From up there, how can you tell that
they’re tankers?”
The colonel’s reply was short and pre¬
cise: 4 ‘Do you know anyone else that would
be wearing cut-off fatigues, jungle boots
and bandoliers, instead of shirts?”
. “No sir.”
‘ ‘Well then, round up those three savages
and put them back in their cans.”
With 3rd Platoon loaded up by 1430, the
2nd Platoon was trickling back for more
shells and a breather. The situation was
looking much brighter in Pleiku but I was
upset about losing the dozer tank. Hell, that
could have been my command. After this
fight they’d be needing some new TCs. The
tank had sustained some hull damage also
and was leaking fuel and transmission fluid.
Lt. Somelik interrupted my reverie.
“You better get the trucks outta here,
Sarge. There’s likely to be mortar and rock¬
et fire until we dig out their artillery sec¬
tion.”
“Yessir. This dozer’s pretty well fucked
up though.”
4 4 Well, take it with you. If it can be fixed,
it’s yours. Captain Allen will confirm the
post. Anyhow, you need to be out of base
before you get busted for something.”
“Yessir!” It wasn’t the best way to get
command of a tank but I wasn’t going to
argue. Armor had saved Pleiku and I had a
piece of the action at last. ^
HIGH POWER
HIGH VELOCITY
ULTRA ACCURACY
Have fun while sharpening
your shooting skills with
RWS MAGNUM AIRGUNS
★ RWS Magnum Model 34
★ RWS Magnum Model 36
★ RWS Magnum Model 38
★ RWS Magnum Model 45
Velocities for different models/
calibers, range from 800 to
1,000 ft/s.
All RWS Alrguns carry a Full
Lifetime Warranty, and are
available in either
caliber .177 or .22. a
For best results from Bwk
your RWS Airgun HpB
use — High-Quality
RWS Pellets, Meis-
terkugeln Match,
Superpoint, Super H Point, Hobby,
and Standard.
Plus a complete selection of
Accessories.
See your dealer, ask for RWS Preci-1
slon Airgun Products.
THE Ml 9-AMP (LEFT)
BB SUBMACHINE
PISTOL
Even a do-it-yourself army has trouble
deciding which is the best—but face it,
both the M19-A and Ml 9-AMP have
the same high fire power rate of over
3,000 BB's per minute with an effective
range of over 50 yards! They’re both
tough, too, and they’re simple to load.
Just remove the filler cap and pour in
the BB's (3,000 max), pop in the com¬
pressed air or convenient 1 pound can
of standard auto air conditioning freon
and you’re set for muster! So get in on
the auto action and get your Ml 9-A or
Ml 9-AMP today! Better yet, get 'em
both and end the argument.
WHEN SHADOWS
SHOOT BACK
magnum
model 45
Continued from page 59
for sure. That night our unit was ordered
off the hill along with all the radio gear. We
loaded up and moved down to the cuartel
where 81mm mortars had been registered
onto our previous position. Everyone was
still expecting action.
Inside the cuartel at the southern base
of the hill I set to work preparing a surprise
for the Gs. I’d discovered something in¬
teresting in the motor pool the week be¬
fore and it would make a nice welcome
mat for anyone approaching the camp
with evil intent. The seven-ton object of
my attention began service as an Ml 14
Command and Reconnaissance Carrier.
Developed by the Allison Division of
General Motors, the Ml 14 was a less-
than-successful attempt to replace soft-
skinned vehicles like the jeep with an
armored vehicle that was lighter, smaller
and less expensive than the Ml 13 APC.
Production commenced in 1962 by the
Food and Machinery Corporation in Cali¬
fornia. It was deployed in Vietnam during
1965-66, but withdrawn after a produc-
OFFER VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
FL RESIDENTS ADD 5% SALES TAX
SEND TO:
LARC INTERNATIONAL, 736 INDUSTRY RD.
LONGWOOD, FL 32750
(305) 339-6699
THIS MUST BE SIGNED.
I AFFIRM THAT I AM 18 YEARS
OR OLDER,
SIGNED-
SEND ME: (HI M1B-A DhIS AMP □ BOTH
PRINT OR TYPE THE FOLLOWING:
NAME
STREET
JULY 85
AIRBORNE
WARFARE
NATO's Paras Leap
into 21st Century
• T3F Parachute
• G-l 1 Caseless Gun
• Porsche Wiesel A PC
SMALL ARMS
• Smith & Wesson's
Close Assault Weapon
• French FAMAS Bullpup
SPECIAL REPORT ;
Man Against Tank!
Watch for Combat Weapons' fact-filled Fall Issue on Sale Everywhere July 30, 1985!
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 89
-v inROTAPFS ■ VHS AND BETA -
Lenny Magill Productions is proud to announce the release of three dynamic videotapes for home viewing.
Each program is professionally produced in full color and features slow motion, freeze frames, split screens,
graphics, music and complete narration. The tapes are classics that will be viewed and enjoyed for years.
The
Bianchi Cup
VI
The world’s richest, most com¬
petitive tournament. Five dif¬
ferent events comprise this
exciting pistol competition. 60
minutes in length.
TO ORDER: Send check, money order, VISA or Mastercard numberfor $59.95 per cassette plus $3.00 postage. Please include
your shipping address and whether you prefer □ VHS or □ BETA. Credit cards must include signature,
□ Check □ M/O □ VISA □ Mastercard ----j- - —.— j —,---.-*—i-r—.- 1 -,—,-,
Exp. Date: Month m Year □O LLJ-LLU II N 1 M.1 U
Signature _———-.-
Steel Challenge
World Speed Shooting
Championships
Speed and accuracy are the
determining factors as shooters
blaze down steel targets in their
efforts for the - lowest overall
time total. 60 minutes in length.
Encapsulates SOF convention
held in Las Vegas. Nevada.
Includes’3-gun combat match,
automatic weapons demo. C.
Cordon Liddy speech, 70 min¬
utes in length.
MAIL TO: Lenny Magill Productions * 4550 Keamy Villa Rd. #107 * San Diego, CA 92123
(619) 569-4000
STARLIGHT SCOPE
AN/PVS-4
2nd Generation
New Current Military Issue
FEATURES
• 500 to 700 Meter Recognition Range
• 25mm 2nd Generation Image Intensifier
• 4 X Optical System • Illuminated Reticle
• Muzzle Flash Protection
• Manual Tube Gain Control
tOQcn New w/Fteconditioned Image
$£OQU Intensifier (30 Day Wty.)
All Factory New to Mil. Spec.
$3895 (1 Yr. Wty.)
Add $15.00 UPS
Cxcalibur enterprises
P.O. box 266 Emmaus, Pa. 18049
(215) 967-3443
SHIPPED COMPLETE WITH
• Night Vision Sight
• Daylight Filter • 2 Batteries
• Combat Eye Guard
• Manual and Cleaning Kit
• Vinyl Field Bag
• Metal Storage Chest
• AR15/M16 Mount
"Night Vision Is Our Only Business”
Send $3.00 lor our illustrated catalog
NOW AVAILABLE
Currently being used by
hundreds of law
enforcement agencies
NOVA XR 5000
STUN GUN
- - - jl VE ™
69
SAFE • LEGAL • EFFECTIVE
subdue violent suspects
instantly without injury
to officer or offender
Now you can put down and
immobilize your subject before
applying handcuffs. The Stun
Gun works through heavy
clothing including leather
jackets. It's small 6!4x2%x1",
light weight /5 ounces and
powerful enough to stun and
immobilize without risk of
being lethal or causing any
permanent injury - it does not
affect pacemakers. It is not a cattle prod or electrified flashlight, does not
control by pain but immediately overrides the nervous system, removes
voluntary muscle control from the attackers and quickly puts them on the
ground . weak and dazed up to 15 minutes. Works on ail subjects
including those intoxicated, on drugs or alcohol.
The new Nova XR 5000 POLICE SPECIAL with registered serial numbers is
now available through mail order. However, a purchase order from the police
agency or a letter on departmental letterhead, signed by a command officer
authorizing the purchase and use by sworn personnel, must be received.
ENFORCERS OUTFITTING, INC.
P.O. Box No. 1, Villa Park, IL 60181
Please send NOVA XR 5000 Stun Gun at 69.95 each. □
□ Black leather basket weave holder $19.95
□ Black Nylon (on or off duty) holder $12.95
□ XR 5000 Police Special Letter/Purchase Order $69.95
Phone Orders
312/941-0615 Ext. 714
□ Black Plain leather holder $18.95
□ N. Cad Battery with charger $15.95
Illinois residents add
6%/SALES TAX
Shipping/handling
charge 2.50
SORRY NO COD's
Name_
Address_
City.State.Zip_„_
MC (no.)-,i. - .—.—----— Expiration Date
VISA (No.l, ,?• ...._Expiration Date
tion run of no more than 3,000. Originally
armed with a .50-cal. M2 HB Browning
machine gun, later versions carried the
20mm Hispano Suiza cannon. It had a
Chevrolet 90-degree V-8 engine and
GMC Hydromatic transmission.
About five years ago, 25 of these
tracked vehicles were sent to El Salvador.
The armor plate, cupolas and armaments
were stripped off and the chassis and en¬
gines shipped as “agricultural tractors” to
the Cavalry Regiment. An enterprising
officer in the Maestranza, Major Marenco,
proceeded to rebuild them jn several dif¬
ferent configurations. A few are in service
with the Air Force of El Salvador (See
“Perimeter Defense at Ilopango Airport,”
SOF, September 1983). Those versions
mount three Yugoslav 20mm M-55 anti¬
aircraft guns. At least one other Ml 14
found its way up to this cuartel I intended
to take advantage of that.
This diesel-engine model was equipped
with new armor plate and two electrically
driven rear cupolas. Each mounted a .50
cal. M2 Browning aircraft machine gun
with spade grips. To compensate for the
higher rate of fire and consequent muzzle
climb on the unconstrained mount, a pe¬
culiar — but quite effective — muzzle
brake had been installed. Two of these M2
aircraft guns are also mounted in the front
hull, but the left gun is a dummy as the
space behind the hull in this area is occu¬
pied by the driver. The two cupola guns
are fed from ammo cans mounted outside
the turret.
All three working guns needed mainte¬
nance, headspacing and timing adjust¬
ments. This was accomplished in short
order with the assistance of the Ma Deuce
crew from the fire-support team. We were
ready but the guerrillas failed to show
again that night. The day’s only action
proved to be a grenade accident in the
barracks which wounded eight men.
We trudged back up to the ‘A’ camp
which had been reoccupied after the initial
guerrilla threat. Training and defensive
preparations were continuing. After two
more days of training and weapons in¬
struction, I left for San Salvador. One of
Melara’s training cadre, a corporal, came
down from the hill to say goodbye. We
were camarada de combate . The Gs de¬
clared a weekend moratorium on high¬
way traffic so we drove at 80 mph with my
Galil set on full-auto. We sailed through
without a problem. Once more I had
come close to the wire without crossing or
getting snagged on the barbs of combat.
The war continues. Our little perimeter
on the hill was but a fragment of the entire
spectrum of the turbulent situation in El
Salvador. The tides of a vicious guerrilla
war ebb and flow. Despite some very sig¬
nificant efforts from inside and outside the
country, the government forces have not
been able to wipe out the communist in¬
surgents. And when the government is not
clearly winning the war, it’s losing. ^
90 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
INSIDE NICARAGUA
Continued from page 45
Bloc arms and ammunition — plus the
delivery of deadly Russian Mi-24 heli¬
copter gunships and a bid to get jet fight¬
ers — are only the most obvious indica¬
tions that Sandinista words and actions
vary greatly.
Another indication of their duplicity is
the recent arrival in Nicaragua of scores
of young guerrillas — terrorists is a better
description — on loan from such groups
as the Palestine Liberation Organization
and Italy’s Red Brigade. Other left-wing
recruits have come to Nicaragua from
Libya and Brazil.
The most telling indication of Sandi¬
nista intentions may be the tone of an
internal memorandum circulated in
Nicaragua’s Ministry of Interior. In an
attempt to cloak Nicaragua’s November
1984 elections in as much apparent legit¬
imacy as possible, the memo clearly
spells out the necessity for the govern¬
ment to control the flow of information to
the public.
The 17-page document, which was
spirited out of the country by a high-level
Nicaraguan government source, outlines
a two-pronged propaganda campaign.
One mission was to promote the appear¬
ance to outsiders that press censorship in
Nicaragua was being lifted, while a
second goal was to actually tighten con¬
trol of local press organs.
The aim set forth in the memo was to
enhance the public perception of legiti¬
macy for the Supreme Electoral Council,
the bureaucracy set up by the Sandinis-
tas to oversee their elections, while effec¬
tively stifling more conservative political
opponents who had genuine complaints
about the regime’s weaknesses and ine¬
quities. The latter campaign element was
accomplished, according to the memo,
through “a strategy of rumors and gos¬
sip” against — among others specifically
named — Arturo Cruz. A former mem¬
ber of the Sandinista regime, Cruz be¬
came one of its biggest critics and the
Sandinistas’ strongestpolitical opponent
The Marxist government of Nicara¬
gua — bolstered by the expert prop¬
aganda experience of its political mas¬
ters in Moscow and Havana — clearly
understands that if “the truth shall set
you free,” then lies help enslave you.
Such inside information is not
necessary to understand the intentions
of the Managua regime using the
strength of its Popular Sandinista Army
(EPS). The EPS has grown from a
guerrilla army of about 5,000 in 1979
— armed primarily with light-infantry
weapons — to 62,000 regular troops
equipped with some of the most so¬
phisticated weapons systems the
Soviet arsenal has to offer. These in-
m The 101st V
AIRBORNE 1968
VIETNAM YEARBOOK
THE 101 AIRBORNE 1966 VIETNAM YEARBOOK
A pictorial review of the first year that the 101 Airborne was in
Vietnam as a complete unit 214 quality photos taken by the
101 s own photographers A pictorial review of Vietnam as seen
by The Screaming Eagles in the field in 1968
From the D eci si on Mal i era to fee Memorial To The Many
Who Gave Their Uvea That Year.
This book is the best year book that I've ever seen, with brief
description of the mijor operations followed by pages of
pictures from that operation
$19. M + S3. 00 shipping & handling
payable to The Paseo Press,
3001 The Paseo, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103.
22 CAL PELLET
HRING
SEMI-AUTOMATIC
ONLY
dgBBr 10 ROUND—
SIDE MOUNTED CLIP
FREE: Target and 50 Reusable Pellets
Not Sold in New York City—No Permit Required
This rapid fire 22 Cal. “Commando” type machine r
pistol looks like the famous hard hitting weapon so |
popular with combat attack groups. This side |
mounted, detachable, ten-round clip sprays pel- |
lets into the target as fast as you can pull the |
trigger. Only $4.95 plus 950 for postage and |
handling. Complete satisfaction guaranteed or .
your money refunded. NY residents please add
applicable sales tax.
GUARANTEED DISTRIBUTORS, Dept. 269-AZ61,
County Road 687, Hartford, Michigan 49057
GUARANTEED DISTRIBUTORS, Dept. 269-AZ61 " W
County Road 687, Hartford, Michigan 49057
Yes, please rush me my 22 caliber pellet-firing Semi-Automatic
Machine Pistol. Also include my FREE target and 50 reuseable
pellets. I’m enclosing $4.95—the complete purchase price—plus
950 for postage and handling. If I’m not completely satisfied you’ll
refund my money right away.
Name _
Address
NY residents please add applicable sales tax.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 91
elude as many as a dozen Mi-24s, one
of the world’s deadliest attack helicop¬
ters. Counting the militia the govern¬
ment has called to arms — much to the
detriment of the coffee and cotton
crops — Nicaragua’s military force
now numbers more than 130,000.
The communist government publicly
announced in 1981 a goal of 200,000
in militia troops alone. Mexico, which
has a population 25 times greater than
that of Nicaragua, has a standing army
only twice the size of that already ex¬
isting under Managua’s government.
Backing this huge war machine are
thousands of military advisers from
Cuba, Bulgaria, Russia, Libya and East
Germany.
Besides arms, ammunition and
equipment, the Soviets are financing
numerous large-scale military con¬
struction projects, including an esti¬
mated $70 million for almost 40 new
army facilities. A 10,000-foot runway
the Cubans and Russians are building
at Punta Huete will be the largest in
Central America when completed. It
will provide the Soviets with a base
from which they could launch long-
range reconnaissance flights aimed at
both U.S. coastlines.
Opposing this massive communist
military force are only 25,000 poorly
equipped resistance fighters divided
into two major and two lesser groups.
There is no central command, no coor¬
dinated strategy and virtually no air
assets other than a few small fixed-
wing aircraft. Since U.S. government
aid was cut off in May 1984, ammuni¬
tion and weapons supplies for old
troops and new recruits have run criti¬
cally short. A few other nations, most
notably Israel and Argentina, have
picked up some of the slack. Private
groups and individuals have also made
significant contributions, but these
have only enabled the freedom fight¬
ers to hang on to a bare-minimum sta¬
tus quo.
Of the approximately 25,000 men
and women fighting the Sandinista gov¬
ernment, most — about 16,000 — be¬
long to the Democratic Force of Nicara¬
gua (FDN.) The FDN operates in a wide
theater of the Nicaraguan Segovias, ex¬
tensively in the northern departments of
Madriz, Nueva Segovia, Jinotega and
Esteli. The FDN’s field commander is
Colonel Enrique Bermudez, a military
engineer who graduated from the
Nicaraguan Military Academy in 1952.
The Sandinistas have exploited heavi¬
ly early criticism of the FDN that its ranks
are controlled by former high-ranking
members of Somoza’s National Guard
While old Nicaraguan guardsmen did
contribute greatly to the nucleus that
orginated the FDN, it was simply be¬
cause they were the only available men
with military experience. Despite charges
that Col. Bermudez is an old Somoza
sympathizer, facts indicate otherwise.
Bermudez was serving as Nicaragua’s
military attache in Washington for over
five years before Somoza was over¬
thrown. Anyone with even a
rudimentary understanding of Latin
American political affairs knows that
Washington assignments are handed out
to those the government wishes to get
out of the way, not to members of the
inner circle.
As the FDN now stands, only 12 of its
53 regional commanders are former
members of the National Guard, chosen
for their military acumen, not their wish
to restore a Somoza-style government in
their homeland. The FDN’s total troop
strength is now approximately one-
percent former guardsmen, and this fig¬
ure shrinks steadily as more and more
refugees stream into camps to join in the
fight against communist tyranny. It is
now estimated by U.S. government and
refugee-relief sources that more than
120,000 Nicaraguans have been driven
into exile since the Sandinistas betrayed
the revolution in 1979.
While the FDN is the main resistance *
force in northern Nicaragua, the primary
group on the southern front is the Revo¬
lutionary Democratic Alliance (ARDE.)
Although this was once a very strong
guerrilla army of more than 10,000, it
Dept. FF -075
869 Horan Drive St. Louis, MO 63026-2478
Toll Free Order Line: 1.800-325-3049
In Missouri: 1-314-343-3575 TWX; 9107601429
Distributed exclusively in Canada by
Milarm Co., Ltd.. 10989-101 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5H 2S9 • (403)424-5281
INTRODUCING
THE NEW AND EXCITING
“M.A.V.™”
(MILITARY ALL-PURPOSE VEHICLE)
$3,995
FOB ST. LOUIS
Assault Systems’ Gear is
UNCONDITIONALLY
GUARANTEED...
... and tougher than the task you put it to! When it comes to the quality of our gun cases,
holsters, gear bags and accessories—We simply won’t tolerate inferior materials or
poor workmanship! At Assault System our standards are higher and less flexible than
most, so we can UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEE each product to be free of
defects in materials and workmanship—for as long as it is owned by the original
jtisS purchaser. We know of no other manufacturer who dares to match this guarantee!
Ask your retailer to show you Assault Systems’ Gear. . . or mail $1 for our 1985
40-page full color catalog . . . today!
has fallen into disarray due mainly to the
tactical and strategic incompetence of
Eden Pastora, whose personal charisma
and political shrewdness in no way com¬
pensate for shortcomings as a military
leader. A splinter group, calling itself Re¬
formed ARDE, has broken ranks with
Pastora loyalists, but it remains to be
seen if either group will re-emerge as a
viable fighting force.
The other two resistance movements
are comprised of Indian refugees driven
out of Nicaragua by the Sandinistas’
massive relocation program, reminis¬
cent of Stalin’s Russia. The M1SURA
operate on the northern front, com¬
posed of members of the Miskito,
Suma and Rama tribes. They suffer
from an acute lack of even the bare
essentials for effective operations and
the absence of their leader, Steadman
Fagoth Muller, who was deported by
Honduras. On the southern front is
MISURATA, made up of refugees from
similar Indian groups led by Brooklyn
Rivera. They have the same logistical
and organizational problems.
If lack of material support is the big¬
gest external threat faced by the resis¬
tance fighters after the Sandinista sol¬
diers, the biggest internal problem —
at least on the southern front — is fac¬
tional dissent. Many MISURATA
troops are disenchanted with Rivera as
a leader and Pastora’s men are very
demoralized. While the troops in Re¬
formed ARDE seemed to have very
high morale and have territory staked
out inside Nicaragua, a strong and ca¬
pable field commander has yet to
emerge and they must prove them¬
selves in battle.
The factional dissent in the south
detrimentally affects the FDN indirectly
because it hurts the chances of success
for a unified command of all resistance
movements. The framework for such
an effort has been set up by repre¬
sentatives of the various groups. But
the Nicaraguan Union of Reconcilia¬
tion (UNIR) must still prove in practice
the cooperation set forth on paper.
Once this first requirement for suc¬
cess is accomplished, the resistance
movement must take and hold a signif¬
icant piece of Nicaraguan real estate
and set up a provisional government
with appropriately selected political
representatives. This second condition
will lead naturally to the third prerequi¬
site for victory, a credibility that will
produce the recognition of and open
support by the international communi¬
ty which is so badly needed. Other¬
wise, the civil war will drag on as a
protracted, bloody struggle in which
neither side can win a clear-cut victory.
— Dr. Jose Wenceslao Mayorga
*
OTTO SKORZENY
Continued from page 75
telligence feared that Skorzeny and his
dreaded “Werewolf” troops, secure in the
rugged German Alps, could prolong the war
by hit-and-run guerrilla actions for years.
The Allies issued wanted posters on
Skorzeny. Labeled above his picture was
the word “spy,” and, to the two sides,
“saboteur” and “assassin.” Underneath, it
said, “This man is extremely clever and
very dangerous. He may be in American or
British uniform or civilian clothes. He
usually wears a signet ring on third finger of
left hand. Any information concerning this
man should be furnished to the nearest G-2
[Intelligence] office without delay.”
Skorzeny’s whereabouts during the next
month of 1945 are vague and many rumors
abound about his activities during the final
days of the war. One popular story indicates
he secretly flew Hitler out of burning Berlin
to a neutral country before the Fiihrer’s offi¬
cially accepted death on 30 April 1945. The
truth appears to be that both Skorzeny and
Radi remained in the Alpine Redoubt until
the end.
When Skorzeny learned of Germany’s
unconditional surrender on 8 May, a Luft¬
waffe officer offered to fly him to safety in
neutral Spain but Skorzeny decided to see
personally to the surrender of his men. He
a little to the
RIGHZ
* silk screened
T-SHIRTS
* PARA-MILITARY
SUPPLIES
WHY WALTZ?
WHEN
YOU CAN
ROCK ROLL
available on olive drab
Magnificent Brass
Paperweight
HIGHLY POLISHED CAST
IN ORIGINAL WEIGHT
AND SIZE OF FAMOUS
‘■BRASS KNUCKS". SOLD
ONLY FOR PAPERWEIGHT
AND CONVERSATION
PIECE
THROUGH W 1
SUPERIOR ■ 9
FIREPOWER
SUPERIOR FIREPOWER
Black on Red
VGLL’EM all
available on black,
red or olive drab
Let God
Sort Em Out!
a little to the right For A Complete Catalog
P.O.Box 603 • Reisterstown, MD 21136 Send $1.00
Name
Address
Citv
Slate Zio
QUAH.
DESCRIPTION A COLON
PRICE
ORDERING INFORMATION SUB
Please allow 4 to 6 weeks (or delivery. TAX 5 % (in MD.)
Please include SI .00 lor each item for shipping & SHIPPING A
handling, HANDLING
Send check or money order. TOTAt
JULY 85
SOLIUER OF FORTUNE 93
made several attempts to turn himself in by
writing letters to the Allies. They were all
rejected as fakes. The Allies continued to
search for “the most dangerous man in
Europe.”
On 18 May, tired of waiting for an answer
to his letters, Skorzeny, Radi and two other
officers — armed and in SS combat uni¬
forms — left the mountains to find the
Americans themselves. A desk sergeant at a
U.S. Army depot didn’t know who Skor¬
zeny was but he provided a jeep with a
driver to take the group to Salzburg. The
driver knew of the infamous Nazi comman¬
do. He stopped and bought them a bottle of
wine along the way. “If you’re Skorzeny,
you’d better take a drink,” he told the Ger¬
man officer. “Tonight you’ll hang.”
The surrendered Nazis were shuttled
from town to town — still fully armed —
until it finally dawned on Allied Intelligence
that they really had SS Colonel Otto Skor¬
zeny in their grasp. While being questioned
at a villa by U.S. officers, windows and
doors were flung open on all sides and Skor¬
zeny found himself covered by machine
guns. At last he was being taken seriously.
He was taken away, hands manacled behind
him with a pistol at his heart, to face the war
crimes tribunals.
During the Nuremberg Trials held after
the war, Skorzeny became reaquainted with
his old commanders but he wasn’t tried
there. It wasn’t until the Dachau Trials that
Skorzeny was put on the stand. He was
accused of using poison bullets, of conspir¬
ing to kill Eisenhower and of allowing his
troops to fight in U.S. uniforms. His Amer¬
ican defense attorneys (whom he selected
over German counsel) were able to have the
first two charges dropped but the third one
stuck. When it looked like Skorzeny might
hang over the uniform issue, a surprising
defense witness stepped forward to save
him.
British RAF Wing Commander Forrest
Yeo-Thomas, known as the “White Rab¬
bit” in the wartime French underground,
testified that Allied commandos often wore
German uniforms during operations. The
most serious and final charge against Skor¬
zeny was dismissed. As Yeo-Thomas left
the witness stand, Skorzeny and his fellow
defendants stood in silent tribute to a gallant
commando.
The post-war German democratic admin¬
istration wanted him for “de-Nazification”
proceedings so Skorzeny was moved from
Allied captivity to a German camp. He had
been in captivity for more than three years,
longer than his entire commando career. On
27 July 1948, Skorzeny decided to escape
by simply stowing away in the trunk of a car
and going out the front gate.
He changed clothes in a nearby woods,
took a train to Stuttgart and settled in
Berchtesgaden. The U.S. quietly over¬
looked Skorzeny’s escape leaving him free
to travel with his wife in the country for
which he had fought so hard.
In October 1949, the Skorzenys made the
mistake of going to Paris where they were
photographed while strolling down the
Champs Elyssee. The picture was published
in the French newspapers and the commu¬
nists rioted. The name Skorzeny would re¬
main controversial until the end of his life.
The postwar press — and at least one of
his three major biographers — accused him
of organizing the neo-Nazi escape and ter¬
rorist networks Die Spinne (The Spider) and
ODESSA. He was also rumored to be in¬
volved during 1948-50 in all manner of
clandestine activities on behalf of foreign
governments, particularly as a quasi-U.S.
operative in the Cold War struggle.
The Cold War practically — if not politi¬
cally and officially — was the salvation of
many ex-Nazis. They turned up as military
advisers in the 1950s and ’60s to the armies
of Egypt, Argentina and Spain where an
estimated 16,000 German Nazis were living
in Madrid alone by 1950.
Skorzeny settled there — more or less per¬
manently — in 1952 and stayed for 23 years.
He resumed his professional career as an en¬
gineering and business consultant and served
as an unofficial adviser to Egyptian King
Farouk and his successor, President Gamal
Abdel Nasser, Spanish Generalissimo Fran¬
cisco Franco and the regime of Colonel Juan
Peron and his wife Evita in Argentina. He was
executor and beneficiary of numerous interna¬
tional business deals, many of them involving
highly lucrative arms sales.
★ * CAN YOU? * *
Electronically listen thru any wall?
See in the dark cheaply?
Read thru an envelope with a $1.00 chemical?
Obtain UNLISTED TELEPHONE NUMBERS?
Open virtually any LOCK OR SAFE in seconds?
Ditch or tail anyone?
Beat the lie detector and the PSE?
Run a driver s license/vehicle check?
Trace anyone, anywhere?
Save 30% 500% on the best surveillance gear?
Get birth death and real property records?
Run a 50 state credit check?
Alter common objects into surveillance gear?
Beat private detectives at their own game?
Perfectly scramble any conversation?
Defeat bug and recorder detectors?
The First Encyclopedia Of CIA Type Tricks
HOW TO GET ANYTHING ON ANYBODY
- LEE LAPIN -
Can 10,000 private investigators, police chiefs intelligence agents (from both sides of the fence), embassies
news reporters and the internal security forces of several mid-eastern countries all be wrong?
".. The most dangerous book ever published/ -NBC newscaster, “one hell of a book, for the first time AN YONE
can access the secret data banks and devices of the sophisticated powers''-National News Service, “the private
eye's bibleV Association of Private Investigators, plus rave reviews in everything ranging from consumer pub
lications to Police Times .
NOW AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC!! Now you can actually understand/use or protect yourself from
becoming a target of any intelligence campaign. Hard-and fast data from skip tracing to state of the art
surveillance!!!
At Better Bookstores Everywhere - OR
ORDER TODAY BY MAIL OR TOLL FREE
TELEPHONE!!
VISA MC ORDERS ONLY 800-345-8112 in PA 800 662 2444 or mail
$29.9S-t$4 00 postage to Auburn-Wolfe Co. Box 623 Holmes Pa 19043 O&pt 50.
94 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
The rumors about Skorzeny’s behind-
the-scenes political schemes grew wilder
and wilder with each passing year: a plot to
assassinate French President Charles de
Gaulle, setting up Nazi-style rocket bases in
Egypt, training the early cadres of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO),
smuggling Adolf Eichmann and the noto¬
rious Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele to safety and
many more tales. He was also supposed to
be involved in a plan to abduct the Sultan of
Morocco, and still another mission to send
commandos to seize the Suez Canal during
the 1956 crisis.
In later years, he was accused of plotting
to kill Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and Ger¬
man Nazi-hunter Beate Klarsfeld. In a final,
though unsuccessful, attempt to put an end
to all such rumors, Skorzeny published his
memoirs in 1950, through the E.P. Dutton
Company, entitled Skorzeny's Secret Mis¬
sions.
In 1972, University of Maryland profes¬
sor Charles Whiting published Skorzeny, a
largely pictorial volume which is part of
Ball anti ne Books series Illustrated History
of the Violent Century. Skorzeny himself
wrote the introduction.
“I want to repeat what I have often said,
that only by the help of all my subordinates
during the war, by their complete loyalty to
me, their high sense of duty right to the end
of the war and their unbelievable bravery in
following me and strictly fulfilling my
orders, was it possible for me to succeed in
my different war actions.
“I will always keep alive the memory and
reverence for all my soldiers, officers and
staff officers who gave their lives in com¬
plete fulfillment of their highest duty for our
homeland. All the honors 1 received were
earned by all of us — to the last and
youngest soldier of our units.”
In 1970, a cancerous tumor was located
on his spine and, guarded by his old
Friedenthal veterans, Skorzeny had it re¬
moved at Hamburg’s University Clinic.
Two tumors were found and he left the
operation paralyzed from the waist down.
Told he would never walk again, Skorzeny
underwent physical therapy and proved his
doctors wrong.
It didn’t help. The cancer remained in his
body and spread. His physical therapist,
former SS commando Alois Wirmer,
stated, ”As close as I was to him, he never
indicated in any way that he had cancer. I
thought the tumors were benign, that he was
recovering. When he had a bad spell, he told
me he had a cold or the flu or indigestion. I
never thought otherwise.”
Otto Skorzeny died in Madrid a month
after his 67th birthday on 7 July 1975. He
was cremated and his ashes flown to Vienna
for burial in the family plot.
What is Otto Skorzeny’s true place in
history? He was much more than just a
famous soldier. Skorzeny was the most dar¬
ing and renowned proponent of a new form
of warfare that knows no bounds and has
few — if any — rules. His style of combat
will have a place in modem warfare as long
as brushfires rage throughout the Third
World. ^
FULL AUTO
Continued from page 16
“wire” stock and contains its spring-
loaded release latches. Patterned after
that of the M3 “grease gun,” the stock
is surprisingly sturdy and can be ad¬
justed to three different lengths. The
very latest models will not require the
release latches to be depressed to with¬
draw to the first position of extension.
With the stock completely retracted
the overall length of the MPi69 is only
18.3 inches. This is about two inches
shorter than the Heckler & Koch
MP5A3 and two inches longer than the
Beretta Model 12S. At 6.5 pounds the
MPi69 weighs about as much as the
Beretta Model 12S and is more than
one pound lighter than the UZI (7.7
pounds), but about one pound heavier
than the H&K MP5A3 (5.6 pounds).
The 9mm Parabellum six-groove
barrel has a right-hand twist of one turn
in 10 inches. High-quality steel barrel
stock is cold hammer-forged on a ri¬
fling mandrel developed by GFM of
Steyr, Austria. This process is less ex¬
pensive than button rifling and pro¬
duces sharper groove cuts.
WHERE TO BUY EXOTIC WEAPONS
//
„ %
\
EXOTIC
WEAPONS
*
■ /
X
<m iu.cess luck
* ^
-/
\
vl\
by michael hoy
e\
f
Large 8V> x 11, 158 pages, more than 200
weapons, over 400 illustrations, more than
500 dealers listed, Indexed, soft cover. $9.95.
“...a virtual encyclopedia of
weapons from full auto shot¬
guns to boomerangs...”
— FIREPOWER MAGAZINE
April, 1984
EXOTIC WEAPONS
AN ACCESS BOOK
by Michael Hoy
This amazing book tells you where and
how to buy and/or make all sorts of strange
and unusual weapons. Exotic Weapont: An
Access Book has been highly praised by
professionals in the fields of weaponry, self
defense, survival, clandestine operations,
and personal freedom. It is widely recog¬
nised as the finest weapons source book in
the world!
Here are Just a few of the unusual weapons
you can buy using this amazing new book:
* *tun gunt ★ brass knucklet ★ gravity
knlvet * body armor * primitive and ttone
age weapone * bolae * battle axes * cross¬
bows * tranquilizer gunt ★ oriental weapont
* tap glovet * tatera * police weapont *
night vltlon devlcet * tmoke grenadet *
awltchbladet * tonic weapons * underwater
weapont * tword canet * gatllng gunt *
electrical weapont * and much, much morel
All of these weapons and many, many
more are described and illustrated, with
dealer names and addresses given for each
weapon! Exotic Weapont: An Accett Book
has more than 150 large 8!4 x 11 pages.
crammed with information on where and
how you can buy over 200 different
weapons! Use the handy coupon below to
order your copy today! You will be very
pleased, we know.
EXOTIC WEAPONS:
■ More than 200 weapons described
and Illustrated, with deafer listings
for all!
■ Over 400 photographs and Illustra¬
tions of the world’s most fascinating
hand weapons — and instructions
on how to buy them!
■ Sources for books, plans, periodi¬
cals, organizations, and additional
information tor all weapons listed!
■ Complete names and addresses of
dealers provided for ALL weapons
listed!
FREEI Huge catalog with ovar 450 exotic and
unutual booktl Gunt, knlvet, expletive*,
sett-detente, police tclence, turvellfance,
privacy, fake ID, and much moref FREE wfth
every order — $2.00 If ordered teparately.
4 LOOMPANfCS UNLIMITED
0 PO Box 1197, Pt Townsend, WA 98368
m □ Please send me. Exotic Weapont: An
Accett Book. I have enci<
^ copy, plus $2.00 shipping.
0 Name
jj State/Zip
SF44
Address _
City_
I
i
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 95
GENUINE AMERICAN
MADE ZIPPER
COMRAT BOOT
R 5-14 W 5Vi-14 $55.00
10 in. Side Zipper. Cap toe
COMBAT BOOT in Black
finish Elk leather. Made
over the genuine Munson
last. Full COMFORTABLE
CUSHION INSOLE, steel
shank, heavy leather mid¬
sole, rolled edge, military
beveled jump heel.
Heavy cloth lace.
Genuine Goodyear
Welt.
MASTER CHARGE. VISA. COD's accepted.
Send for our free 9 page price list of other
oovernment surplus Including camouflague
fatigues.
Valley Surplus
Box 346 -S
Tariffville, Conn. 06081
(203) 658-6228
ALL ORDERS POSTPAID BY UNITED PARCEL
SERVICE ONLY. FOR ORDERS WHICH MUST
BE SENT BY POST OFFICE, PLEASE
INCLUOE SUFFICIENT POSTAGE FDR SEVEN
LBS.. INSURED.
The sights guiding projectiles down
this barrel are what you would expect of
a current generation submachine gun.
The plastic rear sight offers two flip-type
apertures for 100 and 200 meters pro¬
tected by large steel ears. The front-
post sight, also guarded by protective
ears, is offset and adjustable for win¬
dage and elevation zero. Elevation
changes without a corresponding
change in horizontal deflection must be
in complete turn (360 degrees) incre¬
ments of the post A very German-
looking tool is available for this pur¬
pose.
The lower-receiver/pistol-grip/trig¬
ger-housing assembly is fabricated
from a fiber-reinforced polycarbonate
called Macrolon. Corrosion-free, salt-
water-resistant, shockproof, heat-re¬
sistant and unbelievably lightweight,
Macrolon is used by Steiner for their
binocular housings. This space-age
material exhibits less temperature ex¬
pansion than metal.
The cross-bolt selector/safety is
housed in the lower receiver above
and to the rear of the trigger. Pushed all
the way to the right, it will block the
trigger (not the bolt) completely. This is
the Safe position (“S”). Placed in the
middle position the cross-bolt permits
semiautomatic fire only. Pushed com¬
pletely to the left into the Fire position
(“F”), the cross-bolt releases all con¬
straint on the trigger and allows it to be
UNIVERSAL MILITARY OUTFITTERS
BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER
SUPER SAVINGS
★ FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S. *
★ FREE SHOULDER BAG WITH EVERY ORDER OVER $75.00 *
G.l. MA-1 FLIGHT JACKET
$ 45.00
G.l. M-65 FIELD JACKET
$ 52.00
OD.CAMO.BLUE.BLACK XS-XL
OD.CAMO.BLACK XS-XL
G.l. A-2 DECK JACKET OD
45.00
G.L LINER FOR M-65
15.75
S-XL
XS-XL
G.l. N2B FLIGHT PARKA
05.00
G.l. N3B FLIGHT PARKA
120.00
SUB-ZERO S-XL
SUB-ZERO XS-XL
U.S. FLIGHT VEST (LIKE MA-1 W/O SLEEVES)
OD.BLUE.CAMO.BLACK XS-XL
36.00
G.l. BLACK COMMANDO SWEATER
40.00
STATE CHEST SIZE
G.l. PONCHO LINER, CAMO
22.00
G.l. SLEEPING BAG
05.00
T-SHIRT S/S CAMO
2/10.00
G.l. JUNGLE HAT — OD & CAMO
10,00
S-XL
6% - 7V4
G.l. WOODLAND BDU SHIRT
25.00
G.L OD RIPSTOP SHIRT
25.00
XS-XL STATE LENGTH
XS-XL REG LENGTH ONLY
G.l. WOODLAND BDU PANTS
25.00
G.l. OD RIPSTOP PANTS
25.00
XS-XL STATE LENGTH
XS-XL REG LENGTH ONLY
WOODLAND SET (SHIRT & PANTS)
45.00
OD RIPSTOP SET (SHIRT & PANTS)
47.00
G.l. JUNIORS SIZES 4-16
CAMO TUBE SOX
3/10.00
1 SIZE FITS ALL
CAMO 6 POC PANTS w/drawstring
15.00
D3A GLOVE w/insert
14.50
CAMO 4 POC SHIRT
15.00
S-M-L
T-SHIRT
2/9.00
G.l. PLASTIC CANTEEN w/cover
5.00
CANTEEN — OD or BLACK
BOMBER JACKET
20.00
COVER - OD,BLACK or CAMO
M-65 STYLE JACKET
35.00
VISA & MC ACCEPTED
min. order $10.00
ADJUSTABLE HAT
5.00
FOR A COMPLETE CATALOG
WRITE: U.M.O.
FOR ORDERS - CALL: 1-800-521-2124
6221 6th AVE
IN N.Y. 718 439-6161
BROOKLYN, N.Y. 11220
pulled rearward to its fullest extent.
This will produce full-auto fire.
When placed in the "F” position
semiautomatic or burst fire is con¬
trolled by pressure on the trigger. A
short pull will yield a single shot only.
Pulling the trigger completely to the
rear will turn on the bullet hose. The
trigger is center-pivoted and its upper
extension, with a cross-bar on the end,
rides between the sear’s two prongs.
Pressure from the cocked bolt presses
the sear forward and the trigger’s
cross-bar sits on the end of the sear
between its raised prongs.
When the trigger is pulled back only
about Vfe-inch for semiautomatic fire,
the sear is depressed and the bolt flies
forward. On its return the bolt drives
the sear prongs rearward. They move
back under the trigger’s cross-bar and
rise to block the bolt’s forward travel.
In full-auto fire the trigger is pulled
back completely and the cross-bar
pushes the sear down and holds it
completely clear of the bolt until the
trigger is released. Brilliant. Best of all,
the trigger-pull weight on both my
MPi69 and MPi81 submachine guns is
a very consistent and crisp 4.5 pounds.
1 have never fired any submachine gun
with a better trigger.
The MPi69 cocking system is really
strange. The retracting bar is a sheet-
metal stamping that rides in a slot on
the receiver’s left side. The front sling
swivel is attached to a ring on this bar.
Pulling back on the sling will cock the
bolt A really macho stud is supposed
to do this with only his shooting hand
while the sling is over the shoulder.
But, both hands are required of un¬
coordinated klutzes like myself since
the swivel ring must first be rotated
away from the receiver so that it clears
the front sight’s left protective ear be¬
fore it can be moved to the rear. This
deliberate motion is designed to pre¬
vent inadvertent cocking. Devilishly
clever and typically Teutonic.
So much so that in 1981 when the
MPi81 was introduced the front sling
swivel was moved to the barrel nut. A
conventional hook-shaped plastic re¬
tracting handle is attached to the cock¬
ing bar. The MPi69/81 cocking bar is
spring-loaded and returns to its for¬
ward position. It is non-reciprocating.
Disassembly is quite simple and
takes but a few seconds. Withdraw the
magazine and make certain there is no
round in the chamber. With the bolt
forward, depress the button on the end
of the recoil spring’s guide rod and
pivot the receiver’s end cap upward.
Withdraw the entire bolt/recoil-spring
assembly. Pull the barrel nut’s spring-
loaded locking latch (located to the
right of the front-sight unit) rearward
and while holding it back, spin off the
barrel nut. Withdraw the barrel. Ex¬
tend the shoulder stock. Slap the Mac-
96 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
rolon lower receiver smartly with the
palm of the hand on the rear of the
pistol grip until it clears its retaining
bracket under the receiver tube and
the barrel housing. Reassemble in the
reverse order.
Simple, sturdy, compact and reli¬
able, with high hit and accuracy poten¬
tials, the Steyr MPi69/81 series brings
the submachine gun to its practical
limit. Who could ask for. anything
more? Currently in service with the
armies of Austria, Saudi Arabia and
Tunisia, this clever design has found
favor with the SWAT units of about 20
police departments in the U.S., includ¬
ing the South Dakota State Police and
several law-enforcement agencies
ringing the volatile Detroit metropoli¬
tan area.
The Steyr MPi69/81 submachine
guns are available to law-enforcement
and government agencies only
through the Steyr police distributors of
Gun South, Inc. (Dept. SOF, P.O. Box
6607, Birmingham, AL 35210). ^
COMBAT
WEAPONCRAFT
Continued from page 15
offense a grenade gives in a limited
space is just what you need in those
cases.
Yd also want plenty of grenades for
combat in built-up areas. Town¬
clearing ops are one area where the
grenade really shines. There’s rarely a
room in an office building or private
dwelling that won’t be covered by a
good modem grenade like the current
Belgian and Austrian issues. Those lit¬
tle buffered ball bearings spread even¬
ly through the available space and it
takes more than luck to live through
such a storm of steel.
Unfortunately, most units moving
into contact can’t carry all the grenades
they will need. Presuming the supply
sergeant would provide all the gre¬
nades needed by a unit clearing a city
or town, they’d have to requisition a
half-dozen porters to carry the hard¬
ware.
Late SOFer Larry Dring used to toss
grenades with the safety levers still
pinned in place, and then submachine-
gun anything that moved to get away
from the blaster. I can’t agree with that
tactic either. Lucky Larry got his name
from such exploits, but I don’t like to
take the chance. I’ll just wait for more
grenades or bypass the contested area.
Dring’s ploy might be more effective in
another context.
I remember a long night in Vietnam
which 1 spent hunkered down in the
bush with a deep-recon patrol. A com¬
pany of VC had figured out our
approximate location, and probed us
with grenades. Typically, they weren’t
well-supplied and couldn’t afford to
expend all their ChiCom grenades.
Only every tenth or fifteenth projectile
turned out to be a grenade. The rest
were rocks.
We lay there throughout the dark
hours listening to the thuds around us
and waiting for them to explode. The
tactic didn’t flush us out but it sure
increased the pucker factor. If the VC
had as many grenades as they had
rocks, we wouldn’t have seen the
dawn.
If you choose to carry grenades on
patrol ‘or if you’re ordered to include
them in your kit, the question becomes
how many is enough. Depending on
the situation, you’re either going to
have too few or too many grenades. If
you run into trouble, there’ 11 be too
few, even if your pack is filled. If you
don’t draw fire, you’ll have too many
and there’s almost no comfortable
place to carry them.
Many grunts — for reasons known
only to Hollywood — carry grenades
somewhere on their suspender straps.
That’s dumb. The attachment isn’t
solid and a lost grenade today be¬
comes tomorrow’s booby-trap. If you
mount them high on suspender straps
they can interfere with shouldering
your weapon. They are hard to reach
when you’re on your belly. My greatest
iDare Time f
Make Money
| at Home in Spare Time
3 Previous Experience Needed
LEARN GUN.
\& REPAIR!
BE A "GUN PRO”—the-man other
men respect when it comes to guns.
Ifour love of guns and shooting can be the first step toward
an exciting career. Be a sales counselor for a gun shop,
_ sporting goods store, discount
house. Manage shooting club
or range. Or start your own
f business—sell or repair guns-
BE YOUR OWM GUN EXPERT We show
you how to buy and sett guns...cus¬
tomize, repair and accurize them...fit
and finish stocks. Leam alt about bal¬
listics. ..black powder...how to
import guns.
Graduation from this course doe3 not insure that you
will get a job. To find out how our graduates have done,
send for our job placement record.
We Show You How To Apply for a Federal Firearms
License Buy and sell guns, ammunition and accessories while you
are stiii a student at North American. Start making extra cash almost im¬
mediately — order guns for others on cost-plus basis with no investment.
First lesson reveals secret that increases hunting accuracy.
Your friends won't believe their eyes when they see how your
shooting improves. A simple, easy-to-understand chart included
in your first lesson gives you now accuracy.
j 1-800-862*6262 d^ 2 rso65
CALL ANYTIME—Operators to take your call 24 hours a day.
7 days a week. No cost. No obligation No salesman will visit
i-OB MAIL COUPON TODAY!
I North American School of Firearms, Dept. R3065 1
1925 Oak Street, Scranton, PA 18508
I Rush me information telling how I may become a GUN PRO. No
| cost. No obligation. No salesman will visit you
I NAME_AGE_
I,
Fireworks of all kinds. Make your cele¬
bration A BLAST! Largest selection of
Class C Fireworks in America. M-60s,
Power Rockets, Firecrackers, Color
Sparklers. Thousands of other special¬
ties. Void where prohibited.
■ Please send me your FREE
■ Giant Color Catalog.
I Name ' _
■ Address _
■ po SS'sfl'SgpTS Write or call
! C^mbiana 6 OH 44408 216/746-1064
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 97
STUN! I
STAGGER!
STOP!
ANY
ASSAILANT,
PALM SIZED
PROTECTION,
TELESCOPING
STEEL COILS
These steel whips,
made in West Ger¬
many, hold the
original patent.
Gun blued for low
profile visibility.
Small but powerful.
Flexible steel coils
extend from cas¬
ing instantly with
a flick of the
wrist. Blitz and
Sipo deliver
stunningly pain¬
ful blows, rend¬
ering assailants
helpless without
breaking bones.
30 DAY MONEY BACK
GUARANTEE
SPECIFICATIONS:
BLITZ
5Ve" closed, 13V4" open, 5V2 oz.
SIPO SHH
6" closed, 16" open, 10 oz.
Includes pocket clip & hand strap
PLUS 2.00 SHIPPING
BLITZ si Opm
SIPO $19 PLUS 2.00 SHIPPING
TO ORDER: Send check or money order to -
\ier and volume buyer ]
inquiries invited
.(818) 842-4094 J
P.O. Box 3111 Dept. SOF-B(7)
Burbank, CA 91504
complaint was that grenades hooked
to suspender straps tended to keep me
an inch or so higher off the ground
than 1 wanted to be when incoming
was snapping overhead.
Pockets are worse places to carry
grenades. In rough country it won’t be
long before you’ve got sore thighs and
holes in your uniform. The only carry I
ever liked was the grenade pocket on
the outside of an M16 magazine
pouch. The grenade is secure and ac¬
cessible and the extra weight is distrib¬
uted between shoulders and hips. Un¬
fortunately, you can’t carry very many
grenades in this manner.
I’ve always held that the biggest
problem with carrying grenades is re¬
lated to their shape. A globular object
of that size and weight doesn’t really fit
anywhere on webgear. If I were'doing
the designing, I’d come up with a new
shape for the hand grenade.
If hand grenades were made as
aerodynamic disks, they’d throw far¬
ther than a pineapple, and you could
carry the things stacked. The only
reasonable objection to such a change
would be unequal fragment distribu¬
tion. But what good are fragments in
the ceiling and floor? The latest designs
tend to spread flat sprays around a
limited area, increasing hit-probability
and over-all lethality. You have to
computer-design a sphere for that kind
of pattern. But wouldn’t the disk do
that naturally? Admittedly, you’d need
more training in accurately throwing
such a shape and the range would be
decreased, but a grenade is not a foot¬
ball and you shouldn’t be trying to nail
point targets with it.
My compromise with the current
system of hand grenades is to carry
only one frag on patrol. But I stick close
to some green trooper who’s humping
a half-dozen extras. *■
I WAS THERE
Continued from page 10
two hours and the family was anxious
for us to remove the body. Police had
started to question the villagers but no
one had heard anything about VC
activity in this area. No shrits had been
heard and there were no bullet holes in
the body or casings around the hootch.
Several villagers pointed out that the
old man was in the field guarding the
valuable buffalo because of threats
from a neighboring “VC-influenced”
village. They had tried to “borrow” the
buffalo before.
Slews of police arrived with heavier
weapons and headed off with the local
PF platoon toward the neighboring vil¬
lage to apprehend the thieves and re¬
turn the animals. In no time the nation¬
al police discovered the animals. The
thieves were — regrettably — shot
while resisting arrest.
The crime had been solved. The
animals were returned to the rightful
owners and the criminals had been
punished. Case closed.
That should have been the end of it,
but we hadn’t reckoned with the cold,
calculating demands of the MACV
computer. The incident had acquired a
life of its own by the time I got back to
the headquarters. I was met by an agi¬
tated radio operator, who said that
both Corps and Province officers had
been demanding reports on the “VC
attack.” They also wanted to know if
we needed air strikes, troop reinforce¬
ments or armor to ensure the safety of
our pacification area.
Bureaucratic wheels were grinding,
and throwing the machinery into re¬
verse was out of the question. The
MACV HQ computer needed an
answer ... one it could understand.
I was inclined to tell the truth. Damn
the computer and full-speed ahead
Then I remembered something about
a link between discretion and valor.
Images of six-by-six trucks full of
paperwork sprang to mind.
I couldn’t think of a military explana¬
tion to cover this obviously civilian ca¬
per. To hell with it, I decided, and got
on the radio. “This is Victor 7-6. About
the VC incident, would you believe
water-buffalo rustling?”
There was a pregnant pause while
they computer programmers chewed
on that one. Finally a pragmatist re¬
sponded. “I will believe anything from
down there.”
Now we were making progress. “In¬
form IV Corps there was no VC assas¬
sination incident. There was a case of
water-buffalo rustling with one civilian
victim killed. The national police have
recovered the animals and the three
perpetrators were killed resisting
arrest. Out.”
I never heard another word about
the incident from anyone. The Prov¬
ince and Corps report-control officers
stopped sending me computer mes¬
sages before breakfast. It took me a
while to figure out why.
I think they were afraid another such
thorough investigation might turn up a
VC computer more powerful than the
MACV monster.
BATTLE BLADES
Continued from page 23
First, you will get the immediate and
undivided attention of your enemy. If
you don’t kill him with your blade toss,
you may discover he now has the time
and target to aim, fire and blow you
away.
Secondly, you have needlessly
98 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
thrown away a valuable tool and
weapon. If you chose to throw your
knife rather than use a more effective
weapon in the attack, it may be that
you have no other weapons at hand.
Now you’re defenseless and the
enemy may be smart enough to figure
that out In his adrenalin rush before he
dies—assuming that your blade found
a target — he has plenty of time left to
close on you and maybe even kill you
with your own knife . It is not a good
gamble to risk an important weapon in
a low-percentage situation.
There are a couple of other things to
consider about throwing knives in
combat Knives are usually thrown at
targets of known or finite distances.
Not one man in a thousand can consis¬
tently stick his blade in a moving target
I have never seen anyone who could
regularly stick his blade on the first
throw at randomly changing distances
beyond 30 feet. You would have to be
able to accomplish this with some de¬
gree of regularity to even consider the
prospect of taking a guy out with a
thrown blade. They may do it in the
movies but that’s Fantasyland.
The most effective utilization of a
knife on a human target in most cases
is a slashing or chopping attack. A
blade that is thrown is actually an
attempt at mounting a stabbing attack
at some distance from your hand. At
the very best a thrown knife will result
in a single puncture wound which is
not likely to be fatal unless its place¬
ment is so accurate as to be almost
surgically precise. You must be able to
stick your blade in a moving target at
an unknown and changing distance —
and within an inch of where you are
aiming — if you expect to drop a man
with a thrown knife. The odds are
overwhelmingly against any conven¬
tionally trained man being able to do it.
No one I know is willing to bet his life
that he can do it in combat. You
shouldn’t either. ^
IN REVIEW
Continued from page 18
the Chairman, everyone on the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, that
are supposed to provide the President
and the Secretary of Defense with
coherent, national-level, professional
military advice, is compelled as a mat¬
ter of career survival to be mainly an
advocate and protector of the specific
interests of his own particular service
(Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine
Corps). So what the highest civilian
authorities get is not clear-cut, impar¬
tial, national-level strategic input, but a
compromise mishmash in which the
bureaucratic vested interests, prejudic¬
es and future funding of each service
THE SURVIVAL STORE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
SOLDI LR OI r LOR TO \ L CONI LSTIOS 1984
The 1984
Soldier of Fortune
Convention Poster
Personally
Autographed
to you by
Crissa 'Bo'
ONLY
$6.50 postpaid
OR
For Only
$9.50 postpaid
Get both The 1983
and 1984
Soldier of Fortune
Convention Poster
Order yours
today from:
THE
SURVIVAL
STORE
3250 Pollux
Las Vegas, NV
89102
Printed in Full Color on Heavy 17V2 x 24% Stock
THE URBAN SKINNER $40.95
WELL ARMED
WITH THE URBAN SKINNER
...it never runs out of ammo
and never
jams!
The only serious push dagger commercially available in America. The Urban
Skinner is deadly effective and simple to use even if you’ve never picked up a
knife before. Use standard boxing blows for phenomenal penetration or
mount a slashing attack with the razor sharp, hollow ground blade.
The Skinner’s shock absorbing handle mates to a top quality leather sheath
for inconspicuous appearance. Handy boot/belt clip for easy carrying.
• APPROX. 3 OZ. • LIFETIME GUARANTEE TO ORIGINAL OWNER.
• STAINLESS STEEL RC 56/58 ‘CHECK LOCAL ORDINANCES BEFORE CARRYING CONCEALED
MAIL THIS NO RISK COUPON TODAY
NA ML
(PLEASE PRINT)
ADDRESS.
Please send the following.
CITY
STATE.
ZIP
COLO S7FH INC.
2128 UNIT D, KNOLL DR., VENTURA, CA 93D03
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED ( 805 ) 656-5191
(ADD Si .50 POSTAGE/HANDLING! calif resicekts include sales vax
□ MONEY ORDER □ CHECK ENCLOSED $_
CHARGE TO MY: □ VISA □ MASTER CARD
(UST ALL NUMBERS ON YOUR CREDIT CARD) (EXPIRATION DATE)
OR PHONE IN YOUR CREDIT CARD ORDER
__,_ TOLL FREE: (S00) 255 4716
MONEY BACK (LESS POSTAGE) IF NOT SATISFIED =
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 99
BLUE LAGOON
P.O. BOX 3105, LANTANA, FL 33465
#229- Bikini $26.95 S^M-L-XL
#232- CAP $9.95 one size
SEND $1.00 - CATALOG
ON VIDEOCASSETTE
Military-history enthusiasts can now own a unique
feature-length program of original German World
War li newsreels and military films of Rommel’s
desert warriors in action. Follow German troops as
they are equipped for Africa. Railroad through Italy
and embark on the perilous Mediterranean Voyage
to Tripoli. See footage shot by German front-line
cameramen of the dramatic life-and-death struggle
against the British at Bir Hacheim, Tobruk, El
Alamein, and other battlefields in 1942. Afrika
Korps was transferred to videocassette from
original 35-millimeter film prints for superb audio
and visual quality and subtitled in English. To
participate in this timeless presentation of classic
military history on videocassette, place your order
today. $55.00 plus $2.00 for shipping and
handling. Specify Beta or VHS. (Foreign orders:
Specify if you want Pal standard.) Make checks
payable to International Historic Films, Inc.
Visa and Mastercard accepted.
Include card number, expiration date, and signature.
Phone orders: Call 312-436-8051.
International Historic Films, Inc.
Box 29035, Chicago, Illinois 60629.
have “equitable representation/' to
the detriment of serious, national-level
strategic analysis.
All of these criticisms are manifestly
valid and have been so for many years.
Luttwak's analyses of how they
affected the conduct of the Iran rescue
attempt and the Grenada invasion are
not cheerful reading. His proposed
solution is to establish a very select
corps of National Defense Officers,
drawn from the existing Services —
but not dependent career-wise on their
specific services — to man the Joint
Staff and the other higher joint head¬
quarters, with the hope that this will
bring to these organizations a truly joint
outlook. That is, a national and not a
specific-service-oriented view.
There are a few flaws. I could disagree
with Luttwak’s analyses of the Vietnam
War in several places, but not here.
Nevertheless, the “bottom line” is that
this is a book that every serious military
professional, and every citizen who is
concerned with the defense of this coun¬
try, should read and ponder. ^
DE-BRIEF
Continued from page 2
have plenty of ammunition going
into the attack. Former Secretary
of Defense Robert S. McNamara
and former CIA director Richard
Helms vouched for the general,
saying he had handled the enemy-
strength controversy properly by
attempting to help various report¬
ing agencies settle their differ¬
ences and agree on an enemy order
of battle.
They were aware of the crucial
testimony from Walt W. Rostow,
President Johnson’s national
security adviser — which CBS
taped but did not use—stating that
he knew about the disparity be¬
tween CIA and military estimates
of enemy strength. They even had
evidence that Westmoreland had
done his duty by providing the con¬
troversial information to both his
military and civilian superiors.
None of these clear assets were
adequately exploited in pre-trial
hearings.
Westmoreland’s lawyers failed to
tear Into witnesses — notably Maj.
Gen. Joseph McChristian and Col.
Gains Hawkins, both former MACV
staff officers — who told CBS the
general intentionally withheld in¬
formation in his reports to the pres¬
ident. They also misused the time
alloted for cross-examination of all
CBS witnesses. With only 20 hours
left for that crucial portion of the
hearings and for their summation,
Westmoreland’s attorneys could
not register on target and fire for
effect. When the judge in the case
failed to grant further time, West¬
moreland likely realized his fire-
support plan had failed.
All of that — like the continuing
controversy over conduct of the war
— is strictly academic now. The
outcome of the battle is irreversi¬
ble. General Westmoreland did
precisely what his civilian superi¬
ors did in concluding American in¬
volvement in the Vietnam War. He
simply declared victory and disen-
gaged.
BULLETIN BOARD
Continued from page 4
Baker, Marvin M. Pitts, Thomas S.
Barto, Paul D. Baker, Howard G.
Bemier, Charles Adams, Tom
Chittum, M.D. Harris, Kenneth
Schustereit, Stephen Bakios, William
V. Boyd, Tom Cox, Willis Anderson
Jr., Robert W. Maughan, Daniel W.
Early, Matt Silverman, Robert Secor,
Kenneth M. Humphreys, Dean
Cheney, SSGT Harlan Estrem, John
Lauve, John D. King, John T.
Moore, Dr. Allan G. Oolo, Frederic
N. Smith, Steven H. Walker, Skip
Pomery, Pat Pomeroy, Don Pierce,
Claire Zeus, Ed Bennes, Sean Dekle,
Terry Wallace, Cathy Smith, Bob
Ferrera, Russ Andersen, Ray
Doherty, Randy Perez, Carin
Corsair, Rich Heaney, Peter L.
Robinson, Virgil Hilliker, J.
Hilmershausen, Christopher C.
Griffin, Tony L. Maynard, Thomas
E. Kettner, Douglas Washington,
Grant, Wildflower, Jeff Austin. Vahur
W. Muld, Jason Smith, Jon A.
Benson, Terry Allen, James E. Fill,
Robert E. Ford Jr., H.H. Beard,
Abdul S. Shayek, Emery Pal, Alan
Worth, John V. McDonnell, Michael
Bordonaro, Erwin Pils, Steven G.
Milton, Steve Dawson, Michael L.
Brughelli, Gene D. Garan Jr.,
William H. Groover III, George
Haddad, E-4 Robert L. Hall, Charles
L. Brooks, Tammy King, Paul D.
Baker, Leland W. Cross, David
Grimshaw, Daniel J. Miltz, Dean
Edward Detar II, Peter A. Taylor,
John H. Dlein, Wayne G.
Robichaud, Carlton S. Fisk, Bruce F.
Grube, Brett A. Femholz, S.M.
Duval, LTC Paul D. Baker.
El Salvador/Nicaragua Defense
Fund (5735 Arapahoe Ave.,
Boulder, CO 80303) contributors:
Kenneth Julien, Neal Jones,
Bluelight Alpha, Jeffrey Johnston,
Vince Tracy & friends, David Slater,
Sniper Instructor Sgt. Mike Rush,
82nd Abn., Joe Swafford Jr.,
George Bosnjak, Tracey Overkamp,
100 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
Scott Staton, Matthew Newman,
Newman’s G,I. Supply, John Patrick
Staub, Ron Gross, John W. Hart,
Federal Army & Navy Surplus, Inc.
Thanks for the continuous and
admirable service to the cause of
freedom in Central America.
Refugee Relief International, Inc.
(1105 Balmora Dr., Lafayette, CO
80026): Ron Mattson, “An
American Grunt,” Peter Kaufman,
Barry Brace, Karl D. Matthews, and
a generous donation by Harvey J.
Wilson in memory of his
grandfather, Harvey G. Meyer.
DED DAWN
Jl BLACKBALLED...
A dozen movie theaters in West
Germany have canceled screenings
of Red Dawn after the Anti-Fascist
League whined that the film was
anti-communist. Then, in an
impressive leap of faith, the
Anti-Fascist League directly
connected anti-communism in all
forms to Nazi war crimes. Also,
according to these critics, the movie
was designed to make emplacement
of U.S. missiles iri Europe more
palatable to Germans.
H uman rights
IN ETHIOPIA...
Saudi revelations that Ethiopia
was offering grain for sale earlier this
year haven’t stemmed the tide of the
misguided who continue to deliver
money and materiel into the hands
of Col. Mengistu Halle Mariam’s
Marxist government. Donations pour
into the country, and the
government uses that support to
develop its military and suppress
anti-government movements.
Moreover, according to sources in
Washington, the Ethiopian
government has seized an Australian
vessel loaded with wheat and
water-well drilling equipment in
transit to Sudan. The Ethiopians
feared that the non-military supplies
might reach rebels in Tigre or
Eritrea.
V ETS’
SCHOLARSHIP...
By the time this issue of SOF hits
the newsstands, Adolph Coors
Company of Golden, Colo., should
have the machinery in place for the
Coors Veterans’ Memorial
Scholarship Fund. Coors and its
distributors have already endowed
the fund with $500,000 “to help
Continued on page 107
JVISA/M.C./Am Ex. gSi-TOLLF R EE-24hrsJ00^f
S! -gm ^ Compact,220' range$ll.!>7! i;
5 W Popular, 300' ft.$12.97! 6'fti
800-824-7919 - Opr .720 °S i
- - -
amazon
v> sn Popular,-_.. . - _ _
O Magnum 350' range 513.97!
^SURVIVAL
_ J £ 8 li. Super-Mag(2-piece) 450'
**^V6 Extra daris S3.50/100!
F bead & c
m
”0*
&HS200!$14/500!$26/Ml
1 (N quiver! paten
s *»• targets! carry
2 gfreebies)! Buy 3
cleaning rod+900!$3
■°gBuy 4 SAME
k 2gun!- ■“
box 6 ~fS22
_ SAME
I!$32 freebies!,!
£ gun!$51 free! Buy 5 SAME+f
^ 1300+free 7tb gun!$65 free!6
oJ SAME+1600! free 8th! Add J
$1-95 postage EACH g—
money bacKif not de-|
Irazorback - -
IbROADHEADS I 7 / 4 » 4 o _
SILENT,POWERFUL,ACCURATE.hits like builet!F _
I pests .Target, plinking, thrilling sport! Astound friends! Compressed g ILuiViiS nrirffh f
(breathgives Lazing power!Pierces VS" plywood!Rugged .38 cal J^J£g£end2^
laluminum , 13S s teel darts, carry case, instnictions.jjPjeoejTiodel s^g^^j^j^^^^p^^LI
$9.95 each
$2.95 each
Hanio Jane
Urinal Targets
2/$2.95
5/$6.95
FREE I'm A Proud Vietnam Veteran
Bumper Sticker w/eac-h shirt
NAM GRAPHICS, INC
P.O. Box 1197
Leesburg, FL 32748
Postage & Handling Included
Florida Residents Add 5%
Overseas Air Mail Add $2.25/ltem
We carry many Vietnam T-Shirts
Send $1.00 for Catalog {FREE w/Purchase)
SURVIVAL BOOKS
WEAPONS MANUALS
ramili pmUk| the Mlmriii dlusaaU? mi
rtatfemhlt. nainttunca Hi cMuaaMa^. apart*!, mi d#*ri*J*a Hd utWttl tad.
Co« 45 Auto Pisiol military manuals. 98 pages, drawings and photOB $7.95
Hellock’s .45 Auto Handbook: history, operation, takedown,
maintenance, modifications, accunzing 13-95
Know Your .45 Auto Pistols: lor the collector, history, models, Banal numbers,
proof mBrks as weU as function and field stripping data 8.50
M1.M1A1.M2. and M3 .30 Cal. Carbine 9.95
AR-15, M-18, M16A1
Ml, MIC, MID. Garand
M-14 Rifle
F.N. F.A.L 7.62
UZI 9mm Submachine Gun
flrowning Hi Power
Ingram MAC-10
Wait her P-38
AK-47 Assautt Rifle
Luger P-08
11.00 Auger Carbine Cookbook. Miro-1 4
9.95 and 10/2 2 Operational Manual
7.95 & Accesssory Guide 6.50
8 95 Mini-14 Exotic Weapons System.
6.95 Selectors Fire. Silencer.
7.75 4 More 14.00
6.00 AR-7 Eioic Weapons Systam.
7.95 Selective F«re. &lencBr. 4 More 14 CO
8.95 G3 (Selective Fire HK91) 8.00
6 95 HK33 (Selective Fire HK93) I
SEMItJia^ FULLY
FULL AUTOMATIC CONVERSION BOOKS
Practical matbeds la canart ywr umlauts vupoa t» hill tula or Mtativ* fin
tha mr aria.
Full Auto Volume 1 AR-15 $6-95
Volume 2 UZJ 6.95
Volume 3 MAC-10 6.95
Volume 4 Semi Auto Tompson 6,95
Volume 5 Ml Carbine to M2 6 95
Full Auto Modification Manual. HK91, HK93.
MAC-10. MAC-11, AR-15. Aiuu-14. ML Carbine 12 00
Home Workshop Guns Vof. V Constructing the Submachine Gun 12 00
Automatic Fuaarms Design Book Vd. 2: Conversion oJ Coll .45 Poiof.
HK91, HK93, Winchester '64. Winchester 490, plus orig. projects 14 00
AR-7 Exconc Weapons 14 00
Submachine Gun Designers Handbook 11 95
Improvised Weapons ol the American Underground 8 95
MAC-10 45 ACP Submachine Gun Receiver Plans 5.00
SURVIVAL BOOKS • (818) 763-0804
11106 Magnolia Bh/d.. No. Hollywood, CA 91601. Attn: Nancy. Prices
subject lo change. Orders paid with money order or credil eaid senl
immediately, personal check orders held 4 weeks Catalog S2 00
★★★★★*★★★*★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★*★★★********** *_* ********
i TM
NAME
ADDRESS
“DUKE”
GIANT 17x22 BW post¬
ers suitable for framing.
Perfect for the office or
den. A great gift! Only
$7.50 ea. PPD.!!
ORDER TODAY!
0BONUS OFFER+k
Order now and get both
for only $10.95 PPD!!!
CITY-ZIP
0 GREEN BERET
6 USMC BOTH
TRIPWIRE, Dept.SF, Box 458, St. Charles, MO 63302
★ ★★★★★★★★★★*★★★★★★★*★★★★★*★★★*** ************************
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 101
Victor Tango ★
'A'Victor Sierra
Vets T’s/Vets Sweats
FRONT 001 002 BACK 001
BACK 002
American made 50-50 T’s & sweats
available in black only. U.S. & NAM VETS
headlines, offering: ARMY, NAVY,
AIRFORCE, MARINES
Screen printed front & back . S M L XL
To order send check or money order to:
it t SkEs@® it
PO Box 98 sf, WestGrove, PA 19390
(S2 00 charge for overseas.)
For more information send SASE to abo ve address.
106 Minutes of jungle fury? Combat savagery un¬
equalled in military annals.
The StUlwelJ Road: Fighting for an inch of stinking
jungle. Vinegar Joe’ led legendary fighting men from
defeat to victory. Merrill’s Marauders, Wingate’s Chindits,
the Flying Tigers, RAF, Gurkhas, they built the impossible
Burma and Lcdo Roads.
Fortress In The Sea: Corregidor, the rock’ .and
the fighting men who just wouldn’t cave in after months of
savage bombarding. MacArthur swore, ’T Shall Return”...
and kept his word. From Guadalcanal the American fight¬
ing man battled his way back to Bataan and Corregidor in
bitter island-hopping battles.
The Battle of Manila: The enemy was ordered, “Hold
Manila, or bum it!” And he did just that. Birzare bloody'
fighting in a baseball park , 1000 heavy guns point blank
against a 16th century fortress.
Powerful glimpses of nightmarish battles, not for
the squeamish. on(y
Running time..,106 min.
Specify Beta or VHS. $59.95
Send to: FERDE GROFE FILMS
3100 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90405
U.S. and Canada, add S2.50 shipping, foreign
orders, add $3.50. CA res. add 6Vj% Sales Tax
Visa & Master - Include card no. & expiration.
ORDER TOLL-FREE (800) 854-0561, exl. 925.
In Cam. (800) 432-7257. ext. 925.
MARTIAL ARTS
SUPPLIES
Century,
the world's largest martial arts
supplier, has a new full-color catalog that's
packed with hundreds of martial arts products,
including oriental weapons, uniforms, sparring
pads, training gear, books, patches, and
leisure wear.
You can order from Century with confidence
because every product is exclusively endorsed
by action film star Chuck Norris. And if you’re
not fully satisfied with your purchase, you can
return it in new condition for a full refund.
To get your catalog, send $2.00 to:
Century Martial Arts Supply, Inc
Dept. SOF
1705 National Bfvd.
Oklahoma Chy, OK 73110
VIETNAM VETS!
The ultimate statement is
finally available to all*
“THE TRUE AMERICANS”
by Simon Peterson
“The psalm of the Vietnam
hitting and emo-
shame.
Now
this pi
available
was all
the Viei
x 17 1
display
limited
autograi
limited opporttfi
statement on the
lived it.
To order, please use the form below.
urging,
statement is
forget vtfeat it
an image of
r e, this 11”
be framed and
i of these
personally
n’t miss out on this
iat is perhaps the best
War and the men who
Mail to: CHILMARK
P.O. Box 2768
Setauket, New York 11733
Please rush me_ copies of “THE TRUE
AMERICANS ’* today! Enclosed is S9.95 each (plus SI.00 per
order p.h.)
NAME_
ADDRESS _
CITY _
STATE_ZIP_
N.Y, residents please add sales tax.
TIMBERSHEPHERD ™
TIMBERWOLF/GERMAN SHEPHERD HYBRID
As seen In S.W.A.T. Magazine November 1983
and Survival Guide Magazine August 1984
a- a
"FRIEND AND PARTNER»
Loyal -Intelligent companion for Family Protection -Home
•Field •"Patrol." 37.5 Tlmberwolf 62.5German Shepherd 4th
generation hybrids taking 7 years to produce from North
American Gray Timberwolves and German Import Shepherds.
DO NOT CONFUSE The TIMBERSHEPHERD with the %
wolf Vi shepherd mix, poorfy bred, unpredictable and
unsuitable as a professionally trained working dog.
KEENER SENSES of Sight ‘Hearing ‘Smell than any other
domestic breed.
LONGER LIFE SPAN over the Rottwieler ‘German
^Shepherd »or Doberman Pincher ;
EVEN TEMPERAMENT Ideal for the family with small
children. The TIMBERSHEPHERD is bred exclusively as a
superior working dog — Devoted, Useful. Life Long
Companion
OUR TRAINING RESOURCES are extensive and most
credible, employing the latest techniques and standards
currently in use by the U.S. Dept, of Defense Military
Working Dog Program ‘Family ‘Home ‘Law Enforcement
(Public or Private) ‘Operative ‘Whatever!!! ‘Full Health
•Temperament ‘Hip Guarantees -Shipping — Worldwide.
LRRP SECURITY SERVICES, INC.
Box 1620 M-7A. Aiken, S.C. 29B01 (603) 649-5936
Brochure information includes color reprint of SWAT and
Survh/af Guide magazine articles.
SEND $3.00 U.S. FUNDS
JEFF COOPER’S
AMERICAN
PISTOL INSTITUTE
THE FIRST WITH THE MOST
Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun — All Levels
“CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN
CLOSE-RANGE INTERPERSONAL
CONFRONTATIONS”
As the originators and developers of modern
smallarms technique, we constitute the fountain¬
head of the doctrine of personal weaponcraft.
Twenty-four firing ranges, arm’s length to 1000
meters — three Indoor simulators — twenty-four
expert instructors — seven qualified range
masters — a complete gunBmithy on the ranch.
Our perfected training methods combine the
discipline essentia) to safety with cordial,
personal contact In an atmosphere of helpful
comradeship. Our aim is to expand the Individual
self-confidence of each client to the point where
he can enjoy a degree of peace of mind rarely
known in today’s hazardous environment.
Student-teacher ratio Is never more than four-to-
one in range work, and over half our tactical
instruction is conducted with one coach for each
pupil.
A SUCCESSFUL GUNSITE GRADUATE
IS SECURE AND IN CONTROL OF
HIS ENVIRONMENT.
Write Dept. B2 for information.
Send $2.00 for API brochure.
MASTERCARD/VISA ACCEPTED
AMERICAN PISTOL INSTITUTE
Paulden, Arizona 86334
102 S&LBIKfl OF FORTUNE
JULY 05
A 480 page, 2 V 2 lb. parts catalog
listing military, commercial, anti¬
que U.S. and Foreign gun parts.
The most complete parts listing
in the world! Used by govt, agen¬
cies and professional gunsmiths.
Order now, receive $5 certificate
toward purchase of any catalog
item.
AWtf OJJS
SUPPLY 60
NumrichiAFMs
CORP West Hurley, N.Y. 12491
SALES REPS
WANTED
Earn $50,000
+ Part Time!
Rep the world’s largest most
successful security company.
Sell exciting James Bond
countersurveillance, security
and communications systems.
Your market for these much
needed products includes
police, governments, major
corporations.
$10,000 INVESTMENT
SECURED BY INVENTORY
Contact Mr. Parsons
212-697-8140
CCS COMMUNICATION
CONTROL INC.
633 Third Ave.
New York, N.Y. 10017
THE
DEVIL’S DART
An All-Steel Sleeve Knife
ARM MODEL:
7" overall, $65.00
LEG MODEL:
8" overall, $75.00
Small but strong.
Made from Parkerized
tool steel or sand¬
blasted stainless steel.
The blade is triangle
shaped for strength
and easy penetration
and the handle is
Knurled for a sure grip.
Completely hand¬
made. it comes with
a nylon, elastic and
velcro sheath. Can
be worn on the arm,
leg or upside down.
Ready for immediate
delivery. Include $5.00
for postage and insur¬
ance. Can be shipped
C.O.D. 37-page catalog,
$3.00
PAT CRAWFORD
DEPT, S O F
205 N. CENTER
WEST MEMPHIS. AR 72301
(501) 735-4632
JIMMY LILE
"The Arkansas Knifesmith”
Maker of the Survival Knife for the
Movie “FIRST BLOOD”
“Imitated But Unequaled *’
Jimmy Lile, Rt. 1, Russellville, Ark. 72801
501-968-2011
FLOATKNIFE™
Combines a hollow handle of space
age DuPont Zytel with a stainless
steel blade to produce a medical-
survival kit so light it floats! Water¬
tight handle imprinted with Morse
Code and Emergency Rescue Sig¬
nals contains the vital necessities for
survival: matches, fishing kit, tourni¬
quet, scalpel, suture, antibiotic, disin¬
fectant, bandages, and more! Handle
is sealed by cap with a built-in
luminous, fluid-filled compass. Don’t
leave land without it! Weight-2%
oz.; Length-8”; Nylon sheath and
instructions included. Money back
guarantee. Send S34.95 and JS3.00
postage to Lifeknife, Box 771SF,
Santa Monica, CA. 90406.
The first and only English-language book devoted en¬
tirely to the world-famous Beretta. J.B. Wood, an expert
on automatic pistols and especially Berettas, traces the
history and technology of the Beretta from the model
1915 through all its stages of development. The US mili¬
tary has just named a present-day model its standard
sidearm, and the contract calls for 315,000 pistols to be
produced in the next 5 years. More than 170 unusual
photos & diagrams from the author's private collection
and the Beretta archives document the Beretta story.
Discerning collectors and shooters are certain to make
this new book a firearms classic.
Please send me _ copies of Beretta Automatic Pistols
& $19.95 (plus $2 postage for 1st book & 50c for additional
copies) PA residents add 6%. If not completely satisfied I may
return within 30 days in original packing for full refund.
□ Visa □ MasterCard □ Am. Express □ Check Enel.
Card #_Expires_
Name__
Address__
City, ST. Zip_
Credit Card users may call 1-B0Q-READ-N0W
STACKPOLE BOOKS
America s Great Outdoor Publisher
Department SOF
P.O. Box 1831, Harrisburg, PA 17105
JULY as
SOLDItH OF FORTUNE 103
SUPPLY LOO
SUPPLY LOCKER
THE LEADER IN
NIGHT VISION SCOPES
FEATURES:
• 18mm First Generation Reconditioned
Intensifier
• Ruggedized Combat Oriented
Construction
• Newly Designed & Improved Eyepiece
• Muzzle Flash Protection & Automatic
Brightness Control
• 4x Optical System
• Unique Quick Range Focus System
• Weighs Only 3 lbs. (Smallest/Lightest
of the Military Scopes)
INCLUDES:
• Night Sight
• Front Filter for Daylight Boresighting
• Ml A/M 14 & AR15/M16 Adapter Brackets
• Newly Designed Carrying Case
• Batteries (Replacements
Available Over-the-Counter)
• Manual
Pl*i« Contact our Eiport Dept,
about your foreign requirements.
Send $4 00 (or
Comprehenwe Catalog*
of our 5TANO Devices
CALL OR WRITE:
Surveillance Target Acqusition
Night Observation components
P.O BOX 6274 - SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92412 USA
714-882-5789/714-883-2728/TLX 675537 (STANO SBDN)
NEVER BEFORE
OFFERED!
Drilling fixture for converting the
AR-15 to select-fire M16 using an
original M16 auto sear.
This fast, easy conversion works just like an
original Ml6.
* ^Fool-proof fixture shows exact position of
auto sear pin hole and guides drill for a
precision fit every time.
* Precision made from high quality tool
steel, reusable.
* Complete Instructions Included.
* Used by professional gunsmiths to convert
ARI5 to M16.
FREE! M16 auto sear and pin
included w/ fixture
“S $39.95
3 or more 10% discount. No FFL required to
purchase. BATF approval required before
converting. Satisfaction Guaranteed or return
unused within 2 weeks for full refund. Also
available: Video cassette showing all the legal
and easy ways of converting AR15 to M16, step
by step plus history of weapon, full auto
demonstrations and more. $49.95 ppd. VHSor
BETA.
Send check M.O. (add 3.50 for C.O.D.) to:
CATCO
316 California Ave., #341
Reno, NV 89509. 707-253-8338
BULLETPROOF
VEST
Will stop the .357 Magnum, 9mm and 00
Buck. Meets and exceeds “Threat Level
II-A” tested in accordance with the NILECJ-
STD-0101.01. Weighs 2 3 /4 lbs. Fits easily
under T-shirt.
Front & Back Protector .... $150.00 ppd.
Detachable Side Panels .... $27.50 ppd.
Officially tested by the U.S. Government
Edgewood Arsenal at the Aberdeen Prov¬
ing Grounds under the U.S. Department
of Justice Standards. State height, chest
and waist measurements.
MATTHEWS POLICE SUPPLY CO.
(a division of David Matthews, Inc.)
P.O. Box 1754
Matthews, N.C. 28105
SPECIAL
OFFER ON
T-SHIRTS
Size: S □, M □, L □, XL □
$8-50 EACH or 2 FOR $15.50
ADD $1.75 POSTAGE/HANDLING
N.V. RESIDENTS ADD SALES TAX
C U.S.A
^ 6 Color On Olive Drab
0 SPECIAL FORCES
6 Color On Olive Drab
Send Check or Money Order to:
G.l. JASON, INC. Dept. SF-9
903 Troy Street
Elmont, N,Y 11003
vma ?
Avoid BIG BROTHER...
Best techniques ever published
for creating COMPLETE PRIVACY!
■ Avoid Surveillance, Eavesdropping
■ Become “Invisible” to Investigators
■ Stop Generating Financial Records
■ Receive Confidential Mall — Safely
■ Stay out of Government Files
■ How to Eliminate Negative Records
■ Begin Creating Helpful New Records
■ Hiding Your Assets
■ Banking Alternatives
■ Privacy from Texas
■ “Low Profits” SesrelH
■ Hidsouts; Deep Cover
■ Multiple Addresses
■ How to “Disappear”
ALL THE PRIVACY YOU L
Don’t wait! Order TODAY! ONLY $14.p pd .
EDEN PRESS • 11623 Slater “C”
Box 8410-AP • Fountain Valley, CA 92728
[YES! Send me PRIVACY
Htntinged is 14.95 □ check Q money order.
q 1 to H residents please ad d 6% sales tax.)
;j □ Send latest Book Catalog — FRft
JName
^Address
■City
m
Zip
J.R. STUPERO
Box 209 — Dept. F
Lake Havasu City, AZ
86403
(602) 855-1998
24 Hours
To Order or for
Free Catalog
and Dealer
Information
Our blowgun has. a ,625 I.D. Constructed of heavy 16 gauge
steel, it is 40 inches long. The end is chambered to remove any
burrs that might deflect darts. Our btowgun has a special durable
black finish. It weighs about Vh lbs. and is very strong — a
weapon in Itself.
In addition to our 40 inch steel blowgun, we also have
available a 24 inch lightweight model. It has the same mold
injected mouthpiece, dart clip and accomodates all our .625
Magnum darts and most accessories. However, the tube is
constructed of high impact styrene instead of 16 gauge steel.
Our dart clip slides on to the blowgun easily and each one is
designed to hold 12 darts. Our mouthpieces are curved to fit the
mouth and are fiat on top and bottom for men with mustaches and
beards,
When a rubber tip is placed on the end it becomes an
excellent hiking stick, cane, club or rifle rest.
The bayonet spear is round and slides over the end of the
blowgun. it has a screw damp to hold it securely. Darts can be
shot with the bayonet in position.
Accessory Prices —
All purpose darts ... 3.50 doz. • Stun darts ... 5.00 doz. •
Broadhead Darts 6.00 doz. • Dart clip ... 2.00 « Bayonet ...
17.50 • Wrist Strap ... 3.00 • Sling ... 9,00 ■ Center Grip ... 5.00 •
Decorative Accessories... 9.00.
24 Inch LIGHTWEIGHT BLOWGUN, dart ctfp and 1 Doz. Stun
Darts ... $17.50 plus 2.50 Shipping and handling — 1 to 4
units.
40 Inch STEEL BLOWGUN, Dart Clip. Rubber Tip, 24 All¬
purpose Darts, 6 Stun and 6 Broadhead Darts ... $27.50 plus
2.50 Shipping and handling — 1 to 4 units.
104 SHLBiEH Of FlPBlTflE
JULY 85
^ POLICE
«M HANDGUN
MANUAL
How to Get
Street-Smart
Survival Habits
by Bill Clede
Hardcover, $11.95,126 pages
Written by a 30-year police veteran and shooting instruc¬
tor, this new working manual gets right down to the
basics of street survival in the real world, not some theo¬
retical place. Straight-from-the-shoulder advice on gun
selection, gun maintenance, and skill development. In-
depth examination of such critical topics as the duty
gun, off-duty gun, backup gun, throwaway gun. Includes
an up-to-date look at ammunition. The whole book is
geared to help you make “The Big Decision”: Shoot-
Don't Shoot.
An indispenslble working tool for police officers, and
worthwhile reading for anyone Interested In gaining
the confidence this practical knowledge inspires.
Please enclose your check for $11.95 per book plus
$2.50 shipping for 1st book and 50$ for each additional
book with this order. PA residents add 6% tax. We also
honor VISA, Mastercard, and American Express. Please
include card number, expiration date, signature, and
phone. Credit-card users may order toll free by phoning
1-flOO-READ-NOW.
30-day money back guarantee if not delighted.
STACKPOLE BOOKS
America’s Great Outdoor Publisher
Department SOF
P.O. Box 1831, Harrisburg, PA 17105
Offering
My New Hollow Handle
Survival A Combat Knife
Non-Glore Mat Combat Finish
8"
440 C
Blade with N
Saw Teeth
That Work!
13" overall
length.
All itoinl»«« steel
construction with
combat ihaath.
Only
$ 225 °°
Photo by Mother
Earth N«w>
Knives
Custom Handmade Knives
by Ptabert Perrtih
1 973 Spartanburg Hwy, HandersonvlJIa. NC 28739
Phcm* (7WJ £92-3466
S*od SA5E for mar* Information
10/22
ACCESSORIES
Flash Hiders • Bipods
I • Fold-Up Stocks • Mags
Slings • Sighting System I
PLUS MUCH MORE!
cmiog 12.00
Mundiblt with order
Also accessories for |
Mini-14. AR-7.
(303) 442-7021
FEATHER ENTERPRISES
2500 Central Ave Oepl A Boulder. CO 80301
Be a DETECTIVE
JULY 85
AND
JjjESf
DETECTIVE
ASSOCIATION
SOMHFJB OF FORTUNE 105
♦DIPLOMA
“For An Education That Works”
GLOBAL SCHOOLOF INVESTIGAtTon"]
Box 191 SOF Hanover, Mass. 02339 *
Pufth free facta. Show m« how t can loam at homo. No obligation I
No taleeman will calf. j
NAME_____ _AGE _ |
LARGEST
•LEARN*
AT HOME
► AUDIO/VISUAL
PROGRAMS
NO EXPERIENCE OR COLLEGE REQUIRED
Men • Women - Learn iromthe experts. Train at homeforan
exciting part or full time caroor as a private detective or
security consultant. Start your own business or work tor
others. Step-by-step you will learn how to conduct any
Investigation, how and where to find that first Job, and
much more. Diploma awarded. Equipment. Employment
Assistance.
(gSUF
SOF WORLD TOUR JACKET
For the past ten years you’ve traveled with
us all over the globe featuring:
Afghanistan
Grenada
Lebanon
Angola
Guatemala
Nicaragua
Burma
Honduras
Pakistan
Cambodia
Israel
S. Africa
Costa Rica
Korea
Thailand
Cuba
Laos
Vietnam
Ei Salvador
Zimbabwe
Black Nylon Satin Jacket with Flannel Lining
$49.95 plus $1.75 postage and handling
Send Check or Money Order to:
SOF Exchange, Dept. SOF
P.O. Box 687
Boulder, Colorado 80306
For Visa and Master Card Orders:
(303) 449-3750 _
THE _
ulUTma
GAME
•War/Combat Games
•High Cash Profits
•Full or Part Time
•Selection of Guns
•Washable Pellets
•Complete Game
Supplies
For Dealer Info, write:
THE ULTIMATE GAME
280 Warwick Avenue
Ormond Beach, Florida
32074
P.S. Call us at:
904/677-4358
SUPPLY LOCKER
SUPPLY LOCKER
Will You
Ha .?^ v 5
Central America #
Citizens for
Reagan is building
a nationwide network
of activists to lobby Congress
to support the President’s policies
in Central America.
Will you help? Send us your name and
address. We will rush you an “Action Kit” with
immediate steps you can take to pressure your
representatives in Congress.
In addition, we will send you legislative
alerts whenever there is a key Congressional
vote on Central America.
Write or Call:
CITIZENS FOR REAGAN
302 Fifth Street, NE
Washington. DC 20002
202-547-4513
Citizens for Reagan is the independent grass roots
lobby, not affiliated with the President’s authorized
campaign committee or any other political committees
or candidates.
MUSCLE SHIRTS
T-SHIRTS
LONG SLEEVE T'S
Don’t leave home ^
without it. (*)
PRICES' S5T'StL95ppd.
XXL-912.93pm>'
LST-SjS.^Ppd.
MUSCLE-$9.0Sppd.
COLORS 1
SS T Shirt: Tan Si Lt.&lue
LS T Shirt:Lt.Blue
Muscle Shirt: Gray
SM C ~ M ED.-LGEL^XL
XXL / SST Only! I
WHY WALTZ?
WHEN
KXJCAfl
ROCK&nOU.
CONSERVE ENERGY
Z0VG DISTAIiQE
The Next Best
Thing To
Being There
Reach Out
Touch Someone
CALL TOLL FREE 24 HRS. A DAY 1
in n n s. « w .
}
ly! CALL TOLL FREE \
E O
CRE0IT CARO.ORDERS ONLY!
1 - 800 -251 -35S0e*t. 70 No C.O.D.’S
[tN TENN. OR INFO call 1 -404-398-3940
Canada« Add 52
Foreign * Add 30%
U.S.Currency Only!
x Send to:
^G&pudUmd
^Enterprises
OE^SOF
PO BOX 79
CLOUDLAND.GA 30709
The famous C.I.A.
“Get out of jail free” card
An exact reprint of the C.I.A. Covert Opera¬
tions I.D. card carried by members of the
SOG (Studies and Observations Group) In
S.E. Asia during the Viet Nam Era.
. .Do not detain or question him! He is
authorized to wear civilian clothing, carry
unusual personal weapons, pass into res¬
tricted areas, requisition equipment of all
types ..
“If he is killed, do not remove this document
from him! Etc... printed in three colors!
SOLD AS A WAR $5.00
RELIC ONLY! guaranteed!
Devil's Brigade
Box 392
ML m Arkansas 71957
SPECIAL ACTION
COMMANDO SCHOOL
Special Forces training in the
following areas: unconventional
warfare ops; counter insurgency
ops; survival techniques; pa¬
trolling techniques; special
assault weapons and tactics;
electronic security measures; light
and general purpose M.G.; exotic
weapons and tactics; adjustment
procedures for artillery and TAC-
AIR, and much more.
Courses Available: 7 days
Basic Commando Course (BCC)
Intermed. Commando Course (ICC)
Advanced Commando Course (ACC)
Escape & Evasion (E&E)
Survival Course (SC)
Geographical Characteristics:
Forest Terrain
Average Temp. Day 75°
Evening 60°
For a brochure containing a com¬
plete list of all training and prices,
write to the:
Special Action Commando School
P.O. Box 506, Pecos, New Mexico
87552 Brochure $2.00
(505) 757-6933
1985 brochure supercedes all
other information and brochures.
NEW “STATE OF THE ART" Patent Design
now being used by law enforcement tactical teams.
Utilizes an innovative continuous discharge aerosol
design that empties in less than 30 seconds and will
control an excess of 23,000 cu. ft. with strong CS type
tear gas. Unlike old style grenades,“Clear Out" won t
start fires and cleans up easily,
“Clear Out" ® CS Grenade* Add a.so tor
3 pak — $38.84 iUp|itB|/kMdUa|
6 pak - $66.00
CASE (12) = $117.00 SAVE $38.76
Shipped UJ*.S, only. Send check ot M.O. fC.G.D, on
6 or mere only) to*.
Executive Protection Product* Inc.
316C*]LfoHkk Ave, #341
Reno, NV 89509
LONG OVERDUE
T-SHIRTS
T27
SUPPORT TtiE
AFGHAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS
T8
Mum Prep An’ for Wat
Til
PEACE
through
©
C
Til
logo on Opt
STRENGTH
(Sn Loi Victor Charlie meant tough shit VC)
CR tat 7ehlrt8$9.^EtBh (include, p Ah)
f$Nhs Sc reen ed Fron t & Bade “toCheapChariiel^J
if specified; STATE A STYLE NO.
_ For Overseas Ar Mail add $2.35/tem. _
mot* poymtnt to:
SIN LOI PRODUCTIONS lnc.[SLPt]
1105 N. Main St. Suite 2A#2
Gainesville. FI, 32601 _
We Carry Many VIETNAM T-Shirt.
Send $2 for Catalog [free with purchase]
I
lyn
LEGIONNAIRES
SURVIVAL
BOOT KNIFE
ONLY
s-j2 95
Add $1.05 Hndl.
Model
K99*A
Double edge 440 stainless steel blade.
Full tang one piece construction. Leath¬
er sheath with quick release snap and
metal boot/belt clip. Money Back
WESTBURY SALES CO. DEPT. BK-7-SF
373 Maple Avenue, Westbury, New York 11590
106 SOLUIER (IF FOTATUNfi
JULY B5
BULLETIN BOARD
Continued from page 101
provide a brighter future for the sons
and daughters of American veterans
—” Write Peter C. Joannides,
Administrator, Dept SOF, 1500
Beauregard St., Suite 108,
Alexandria, VA 22311 for more
details.
S OF AT
LEAPFEST...
Special projects director Alex
McColl represented SOF at the 1984
Leapfest on 6 October of last year.
Sponsored by the Rhode Island
National Guard, the third annual
parachutists’ event featured an
accuracy competition among U.S.
Army active. Reserve and National
Guard units, as well as teams from
the United Kingdom’s 10th Battalion
of the Parachute Regiment and West
Germany’s Airborne School.
First place in the team contest
went to Headquarters and
Headquarters Company of 1st
Special Operations Command, Fort
Bragg. N.C. with a total time for four
jumpers (docked from PLF to target)
of 231 seconds. First individual place
went to Sp4 Morris B. Weiss, B
Battery, 26th Artillery. His time was
21 seconds.
B ren ten
BROUHAHA...
SOF has received a number of
complaints from dealers and private
customers about service from
Domaus and Dixon Enterprises, Inc.,
manufacturers of the Bren Ten
10mm self-loading pistol. SOF takes
a special interest in these readers 1
problems, since most of them say
they first read of the pistol in SOF.
Please send a chronological narrative
of your dealings with Domaus and
Dixon, and photocopies of any
communication between you and
the manufacturer. Do not send
originals of any materials.
E scalation
IN MOZAMBIQUE...
Despite provisions of last year’s
Nkomati Accord, the Soviet Union
has recently supplied Mi-24 Hind
assault helicopters to Mozambique
armed forces, said Evo Fernandez,
Secretary General of the
anti-communist guemlla group
Renamo. The Nkomati Accord is an
agreement between South Africa
and Mozambique, one provision of
which is the limitation of Soviet
military aid to Mozambique.
R ed
BRIGADES...
Tax-exempt status has been
granted the Interreligious Foundation
for Community Organization (IFCO),
which appears to have no other
function than supporting communist
causes in the New World. According
to Its own literature, IFCO provides
administrative and financial support
for Nicaraguan and Grenadan
communists by organizing
fund-raisers and letter-writing
campaigns. They also support “work
brigades” for the Nicaraguan harvest
through a front called the
Nicaraguan Exchange. Their
disinformation projects include The
Grenada Foundation, Inc., which
has sponsored an attempt to rename
the Grenadan airport “Maurice
Bishop International Airport,” and
printing a Maurice Bishop calendar.
They claim to have sent over $5,000
to Grenada in the last year ... and
it doesn’t seem likely that those
funds went to anybody who’s trying
re-establish freedom in Grenada.
Consider writing your
congressman about the tax-exempt
status of such support for enemies of
democracy.
C IA ON
SOF MANUAL...
According to CIA spokeswoman
Kathy Pherson, the Central
Intelligence Agency had no
comment on SOF’s translation of
Operadones Sicologicas en Guerra
de Guerrillas in the February SOF,
and the subsequent distribution of a
Spanish-language reprint
R PG
STUDY...
The Terrorism Research Center is
collecting information on the RPG
series of weapons. Persons with
data, photos or experience should
contact Michael Moris, Terrorism
Research Center, Dept SOF, P.O.
Box 1464, Cape Town, South Africa
8000. ^
CLASSIFIED
-#—*■—#— * —*-
CURRENT REQUIREMENTS — All ads MUST be received
by the 1 at, four months prior to Issue cover date. Ad copy
must be typed or written clearly with authorizing signa¬
ture, telephone number and payment Advertisers offering
information packets for a fee must send a sample of pack¬
et. Coat per insertion Is $1 per word — $20 minimum.
Personal classified ads are 50 cents per word — $10 mini¬
mum. Name, address and telephone are to be Included In
the count FOR EXAMPLE: P.O. Box 693 = 3 words; Boul¬
der, Colorado - 2 words; 80306 = 1 word. Abbreviations
such as A.P., 20mm, U.S., etc., count as one word each.
Hyphenated words and telephone numbers are counted
as two words. We reserve the right to delete or change any
copy which we determine to be obfectionable. Mail to
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Classified, P.O. Box 693, Boulder,
CO 80306
READERS OF BOTH DISPLAY AND CLASSIFIED
ADVERTISING ARE ADVISED THAT SOF MAGAZINE
DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO VERIFY VALIDITY OF
EVERY ADVERTISEMENT CONTAINED HEREIN. SHOULD
ANY READER HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PRODUCTS OR
SERVICES OFFERED BY AN ADVERTISER, HE SHOULD
SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM HIS NEAREST POSTAL IN¬
SPECTOR.
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE MAGAZINE IS A MAGAZINE OF
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION. THERE
MAY BE PRODUCTS FOR WHICH SALE, POSSESSION OR
INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION MAY BE RESTRICTED,
PROHIBITED OR SUBJECT TO SPECIAL LICENSING RE¬
QUIREMENTS IN YOUR STATE. PURCHASERS SHOULD
CONSULT THE LOCAL LAW-ENFORCEMENT AUTHOR¬
ITIES IN THEIR AREA.
LE MERCENAIRE1 Monthly Intelligence newsletter on terror¬
ism, communist subversion, covert operations. $15 year. $17
overseas. Sample $2. LE MERCENAIRE, PO Box 507,
Fredericklown, MO 63645. (103) _
FOR SALE. Genuine United States Armed Forces surplus
clothing, individual equipment, packs, boots, survival gear,
frrst-aid packets, etc. Send $1 for our latest catalog to STEVE
J. PEDERGNANA, JR., PO Box 1062, Oak Park, IL 60304.
196}
DYSART'S WOLF KENNEL
MACKENZIE VALLEY TIMBERWOLVES
Would you like to have a companion & protector bred
from the largest strain of wolves in the world, like the
one above? Crossed with the finest German Shepherd
imports; % wolf and up, puppies & trained adiilts. i
devote my time to woives & wolf-crosses only ,
therefore I can provide the Finest. All pups WBA
registered at no charge. Pictures and info — $5.00.
CHARLES DYSART
Box 597, Henrietta, North Carolina 28076
Phone 704-657-6220 or 704-657-9273
MOVING FAST? Keep a permanent address for as low as $6 a
month. Not a box number but your own address and suite
number. Also available—phone number, remailing, mail for¬
warding and more. ALL CONFIDENTIAL. For information en¬
close a stamp to THE BRANCH OFFICE, 3341 W. Peoria Ave.,
Phoenix, AZ 85029. (602) 993-7534. (100)
WW II WAR SOUVENIRS! Includes daggers, swords, hel-
mets, everything! Illustrated catalog $10 (refundable). DISCO,
Box 331-X. Cedarburg, Wl 53012. (107}
GERMAN WW II MILITARIA: Insignia, flags, medals, uni¬
forms, daggers, camouflage, books. World’s biggest catalog,
including 2 large posters; $2. KRUPPER MILITARIA, Box
177SF, Syracuse. NY 13208. (101)
VIETNAM COLLECTOR? Veteran? Patches, books, Dl pins,
T-shirts. New; Grenada, Lebanon tributes. Catalog $1. SAT-
CONG, Box 177VF, Syracuse. NY 13208. (102)
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 107
LCC-58 ^ W JERROLD
$150.00 JRX-3 $120.00
- tip MATE 58 Channel Converter w/llt Digital Display.
" Wireless demote Channel Select, On/Off, Search, & Fine Tune.
Jerrold 37 Channel JRX-3 Is Cord Remote Select & Fine Tune.
Both compatible w/all TV models & all cable systems.
TOLL FREE 24-hr. Order Hotline 1-800-824-7880, operator 310,
AK/HI: 800-824-7919. VISA, M.L'., U.U.U., 51b' ship. " 1
NOTE: some uses may require subscription to local cable co.
FIREWORKS, BUY DIRECT. Price list, sendS.
>RKS, PO Box 221, Dept. ,F,
GRENAfa; B EtnUT ) Cpeufll fg fcesTRecon, SEALS, many
more large details. Send stamp for price list. ELITE FORCES,
22 Orchard Street, Newton, NJ 06760. (106)_
MARAUDER’S SURPLUS: A complete listing of field and
technical manuals; Elite commando and regular-army surplus
at the best prices in the country. Send $1 for catalog to
MARAUDER'S ARMY SURPLUS, 85B0 McKee Road, Upatoi,
GA 31029.
.50 CAL. MACHINE GUN BELTS. Enhance your fireplace,
den, place of business with impressive and unique wal! display
authentic 1943-4 Frankfort Arsenal war issue .50 cal. corn-
shells less powder with steel links for continuous belt.
E&pllent condition. Massive 100 rounds nearly 9 ft. long
plus $8 shipping; 50 rds $29.50 plus $5; 25 rds $17.50
plus $Y. Also artillery shells, etc. “Nation's Largest .50 Cal.
Outlet! JOE JELINEK, 1201F Cottage Grove, Chicago
Heights} I L 60411. (312) 758-2183. (95) _
!RS: Complete instructions to build your own from
available at most hardware stores. $3. WORLD
•IING, PO Box 64252, Fayetteville. NC 28306. (94)
GENUINE U.S. MEDALS— Collect/U.S./Foreign Decorations.
IATING NEW HOBBY. Silver Star— $50; Bronze
$35; Armed Forces Expeditionary— $15; Vietnam Ser-
$15; Vietnam Campaign/Sterling Yearbar—$35; Add
in trade and $3 postage. Most other medals available.
FOR FREE LIST. MARTIN LEDERMANN, 21 Naples
Road, Brookline, MA 02146. (617) 731-0000. (107)_
SERVE FEDERAL SUBPOENAS PART TIME. Must be over
10 and US citizenl Details $2. PROCESS SERVER, Box 222-
F, Quincy, MA 02171.(96)_
FIREWORKS— Firecrackers, Rockets, Roman Candles,
much more! Low prices, Highest quality. Shipped year-round
to all states. Illustrated catalog— $1, EAGLE FIREWORKS,
Dept. 3E, Box 800, Clackamus, OR 97015. (97)_
30-40% OFF GERBER, Benchmark, Kershaw Knives; Red-
field, Leupold Scopes; Muzzleloaders! Send $1.00 for com¬
plete catalog. KNIVES, Dept. SOF, 52 Edmund, Uniontown,
PA 15401. (93)
r MICRO BUGS Advanced bugging equip- J
ment. Concrete mikes, telephone and pen bugs, J
and more. Send $2.00 to MICROCOM r
|TECH CORP. for catalog. Refundable
^ with purchase. Unbeatable prices.
MICROCOM TECH CORP.'
P.0. Box 347341 • Cleveland, OH 44134i
PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES: Simple, step-by-step instructions to
make powerful plastic explosives from common ingredients.
$12, FREEDOM ARMS, Box 7072 HSJ, Springfield, MO
65801.(99)
“HELP FIGHT CRIME—SHOOT A BURGLAR” bumper
sticker $2.00. “ILLEGALLY PARKED" permanent stickers, 5
for $2.95. Teach them a lesson! Add 50 cents p'h on all orders.
FLYING DUTCHMAN ENTERPRISES, 13033 Wirevine,
Houston, TX 77072._
PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES and dynamites made from common
ingredients. 120 formulas. Complete instructions $15. PLAS-
TIC, PO Box 1881, Murfreesboro, TN 37133, (98)_
SMOKE PRODUCTS — Grenades, pots, bombs at unusually
low pricas. Buy from the source and save. Send self-
addressed stamped envelope for details. SOUTHWEST
SMOKE DISTRIBUTORS, Box 5414, Phoenix, AZ05OtO. (96)
CUSTOM EMBROIDERED PATCHES. Five-patch minimum.
Your design, any size, shape, colors. Guaranteed. HEIN, Dept.
303, 4202 N. Drake, Chicago, IL 60618. (97)
EXPLOSIVES AND INCENDIARIES: Instructions for making
NAPALM $8.95; SUGAR EXPLOSIVE $8.95; and the easy-to-
make, extremely destructive steel-buming THERMITE IN¬
CENDIARY $12. All three, $20. AMERICAN INDUSTRIES, PO
Box 10073 G.S., Springfield, MO 65808. (98)_
FIREWORKS, High Quality, Fast Service. Price list $1.
MOUNTAIN STATES NOVELTY, P.O. Box 90007, Casper,
WY 82609. (104)_
COVERT INTELLIGENCE— for the clever man of action.
Samples $2, $13/year — $17 overseas. HORIZONE, Box 67,
St. Chartes, MO 63302, USA. (95)_
KNUCKS —Genuine brass paperweights. Not cheap alumi¬
num. $7 postpaid. Immediate shipment. MATTHEWS POLICE
SUPPLY. PO Box 1754, Matthews, NC 28105. (96)_
BOUNTY HUNTING— Legal for anyone and very profitable!
For legal statutes and employment information send $2 and
SASE. Rush orders $3 cash. RESEARCH UNLIMITED, Box
90, Depew, NY 14043. (93)
M-80 SALUTES, FIREWORKS, ROCKETS! Fresh from fac¬
tory or make your own. We supply everything! Formulas, che¬
micals, fuse smoke dyes, casings, tools, kits, more! Catalog
$1, NOR STARR, Box 5585, Pocatello, ID 83202. (95)
FOREIGN READERS. Attention! Wanted by collector:
machine-gun belts, parts, accessories, tripods and manuals,
any vintage; assault-rifle magazines, etc. Foreign pilot and
para wings and elite insignia. No trades. Price and condition
1st letter, PETER KOKALIS, 5749 N. 41st PL, Phoenix, AZ
85018. (TO)_
SPECIAL FORCES VIDEO TAPES. Operational Techniques
FM31 -20. Five separate tapes. Tape 1: Intelligence & Psycho¬
logical Operations; 2: Infiltration & Planning; 3: Air Operations-
Communications; 4: Water Operations-Communications; 5:
Demoliton-Engineering-Medical Aspects of SF Operations.
VHS only, $29.95 each plus $2.95 shipping & handling. SELF
RELIANCE GROUP, 316 California Ave., Ste 206, Reno, NV
09509. (96)
THE INTELLIGENCE LIBRARY— Many unusual, informative
books on Electronic Surveillance, ''Creative" Locksmithing,
Weapons, Investigations, Documents, etc. Free Brochures:
MENTOR, Dept. G-2, 135-53 Northern Blvd., Rushing, NY
11354. (98) _
UNUSUAL BOOK OFFER. Save 20% Discount. Famous Pub¬
lishers: Paladin Press, Loompanics, Desert, others! Updated
Regularly. Guaranteed Best Selection For LESS! Exotic
Weaponry, Military, Survival, Total Revenge, Crime, Explo¬
sives, Surveillance, Wiretapping, Martial Arts, Knives, Employ¬
ment, Big Brother, Fireworks, Privacy, Investigations, Chemis¬
try — and Much More! 100s of exciting titles. Eye-Opening
Catalog and Free P-30 Can Opener $1 (overseas $3), ALPHA
PUBLICATIONS, PO Box 92-SP, Sharon Center. OH 44274.
(93) _
BRITISH MILITAR1A. Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal
Marines, Parachute Regiment, S.A.S., Insignia, Head-
wear, Badges, Uniforms, Medals, Boer War Helmets, etc.
Send $2 for catalog. BRITISH COLLECTIBLES LTD., Dept. A
2113 Witshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403. (95)
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
Stunning 16" *20", high glossy, color, photo-
graphc print on high quality paper Magnificent
bronze statue; inscribed, black granite wall
Perfect for home, office, fraternal organization, or
Dost Poem, fact sheet tncl. $14.95 ppd U.S.A
DEPT. S > P.O.BOX 3412» FREDERICK, MD 21701
ARREST Violators!!
Wear the Badge of a
DETECTIVE
{NO PREVIOUS TRAINING NEEDED
• Your spirit of adventure, danger, and
self reliance can lead you to an excit¬
ing career opportunity. Solve myster¬
ies, bring criminals to justice, protect
the innocent. Experts guide you every
step of the way. Men and women
needed to work in challenging situa¬
tions, withstanding hardships,
^ make on the spot decisions.
Learn the latest investiga¬
tive techniques using special
law enforcement equipment
the same equipment
used by the FBI, the CIA, and the Secret Service. Start your
own investigative agency. Save up to 25% and more on all
equipment. Send for free details.
Approved by Calif. Dept, of Public Instruct.
THE ROUSE SCHOOL of Special Detective Training
T DEPT. 8F907, P.O. Box 2S7S0, Santa Am. CA «Z7M
I tlumi urn your "D*acttv" Cwmr KM—Ho art-man wtH cm |
I Kmm _Aft_|
I Mdnn-j
, CUy/tata/ap-!
USE
SECRET
EQUIPMENT
Sunrilltaiicf E jvltiMM,
CrinlMlam Kits, IMh .
OriafttM lilajfcoMi. Ln
'HaJtim. Lactflck (km,
■vtlil-Pmof Will, Infrared
Ml|M Sca|Mi, fUMillki
Pin* Hack,
Mach Mart
FREE SURVIVAL PUBLICATION!! with Super-Survival Cata¬
log describing 50-plus brutally frank survival publications
(weapons, energy, medical, financial, electronics, computers)!
By John Williams— CBS “60 MINUTES", ABC talkshows, etc.
Catalog $ 1 : WILLIAMS, 2011 Crescent Drive, Alamogordo,
NM 88310. (93)_
DISCOUNT MILITARY FOOD RATIONS. Free catalogue
MRE lull meals, MRE components, other outdoor/survival food
items. RFCG, Box 1438, Largo, FL 34294. (813) 535-7192.
(97)
—KIMBERTAL—
The Most Sought after Name in
Doberman Pinschers
and Rottweilers
Champ.-sired pups bred for
superior size, conformation,
impeccable disposition.
FULL HEALTH & TEMPERAMENT
GUARANTEES
-SHIPPING WORLDWIDE . ..
American Express, -Visa
and Master Chance
KIMBERTAL KENNELS
RFD1 Kimbeiton, Peima. 13442 215-923-4982 or 933-3600
FOR HIRE: short-term, high risk preferred, have passport, will
travel. No job too dangerous. BOB, PO Box 1263, Downey, CA
90240. (93)
RECON, THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME of the Vietnam War,
$10; The Haiphong Halo, $3.50; Hears & Minds, $3.50; San
Sued, $5; Sayaref/Track Commander, $5.90. RPG, INC., Box
1560-A, Aivin , TX 77512. (96)
STATE PISTOL LAWS, regulations for all state and Federal
Gun Laws, both $4. Police Catalog $2. SCHLESStNGER, PO
Box 882, NY, NY 10150._
INVENTIONS, IDEAS, NEW PRODUCTS WANTED for pre-
sentation to industry and exhibition at national innovation ex¬
position. Call 1-800-528-6050. Arizona, 1-800-352-0458.
XB31. (99)_
ARMY FIELD RADIOS: CPRC-26 Manpack Radio, compact,
transmits-receives 46-54 MHz FM, 6 channels with battery
box, antenna, crystal, handset: $22.50 apiece, $42.50/pair,
good condition. PRC-510 Backpack Radio (Canadian version
of American PRC-10), transmits-receives 30-55 MHz FM con¬
tinuous tuning, with battery box, antenna, headset: $39.50
apiece, $77.50/pair, good condition. R-390A, premier com¬
munications receiver, .5-30 MHz shortwave, amateur, military
frequencies, AM-CW-SSB, meters sealed: $115 complete, not
checked; $195 complete, checked. R-108 Vehicular/Field Re¬
ceiver, 20-26 MHz FM: $27.50 mint. 45-day replacement
guarantee. Add $9.50 shipping-handling (R-390A shipping
charges collect). BAYTRONICS, Dept. SOF, Box 591. San-
dusky, OH 44870._
PRIVACY—CONFIDENTIAL MAIL. Forwarding/receiving.
Code name fine, street address, phone available. SASE.
ORLANDO MAIL DROP', Box 18039-SF4, Orlando, FL 32060.
( 100 )__
LAW BADGES AND PATCHES send $1 for list or $6 for 12
monthly lists. BPEC, Dept. SF1204, Los Alamitos, CA 90720.
(98)__
INTERNATIONAL, domestic financial services and more. I
work, travel to client specifications. Passport, (no dope), ma¬
ture, dependable. (303) 486-3367. Try weekdays. (93)
REMAILING: West Germany. $2 includes postage. Confiden¬
tial forwarding, receiving, holding. Free brochure. TWG, Post-
fach 1145, 6460-M, Geinhausen, West Germany. (100)
108 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
SAVANT FOR HIRE: Professional investigator, bodyguard,
armed escort, bondsman, and bounty-hunter. Also have know¬
ledge of military and counter terrorism. Am an expert of
weapons and demo. Prefer Central America. SAVANT, PO
Box 348, Athens, GA 30601. (99)
DO YOU NEED A BUSINESS ADDRESS for all purposes in
West Germany? Strictly confidential. Here we arel MANAGE¬
MENT CONSULTANT M. JUNGHANS, Hermann-Brill, Str. 8,
D-62Q0, Wiesbaden. Tel: 06121-467726. (96)_
ADJUSTER. Selective, effective. BILL STRINGFELLOW
(602) 366-6060. (97) _
HBO DESCRAMBLER PLANS. Complete and easiiyiot
lowed. $3. STEVENS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Dept. SOF,
Box 20286, Bowling Green, KY 42102-6286. (95-485)
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE by experienced professionals
contact THE BOSTON AIRCRAFT GROUP, PO Box 1027,
Melrose, MA 02176. (95-485)_
FREE KUNG FU LESSONS. Guaranteed satisfaction. Send
$1 for postage McLISA, PO Box 1755, Dept. SF85-G, Honolu-
lu, HI 96806. (101-485) _
ARMY SURPLUS AND MORE. Complete line Army surplus,
gun accessories, knives, police, ninja, and survival supplies.
Send $1 (refundable) for price list. HUGH WADE'S OAK-
SHIRE PLACE. Hiway 51 South, Union City, TN 38261. (901)
885-6851. (95-485) __
VIETNAM LISTING (with free "Vietnam photos") $2 WW II
Listing $2. RAY BUNTING'S PHOTOS, Rt 1, Box 154, Milford,
DE 19963. (99)_
PARACHUTE EQUIPMENT SALE! Static line and freefall pa¬
rachutes, military and sport containers, reserves, boots, hel¬
mets. Call DAN, (513) 372-6665,1439 Colorado Drive, Xenia,
OH 45385. (94-465)_
DIVORCE DIRTY TRICKS. Fight smart! Protect property. Win
custody you want. Sharpest tactics. New 228 pg book $14.95.
Guaranteed. Details 20 cents. EDEN, Box 8410-DD, Fountain
Valley. CA 92728. (98-485)_
SECRET MAILBOX. Send and receive mail confidentially.
Dependable, professional service. Details, long SASE. PRI¬
VATE POSTMAN, Box 87210(S), San Diego, CA92138. (96)
LOCKSMITHING. general & automotive. Unlimited informa¬
tion— $2 (unconditionally refundable if unsatisfied). L.A.N.D-
.I.S., 633 Post St., No. 1048F, San Francisco, CA 94109.
(103-465)_
SOLDIER, BODYGUARD, courier, investigator, name it.
Qualified and experienced. Have passport, will travel overseas
or domestic. Hazardous okay. Serious inquiries contact:
OCCUPANT, PO Box 6235, N. Augusta, SC 29841. (95-485)
NOW AVAILABLE!
M
The Original a DV £ NTUR £ R ’ s i
BULLWHIP
Thick,
High-Grade
Leather
From:
CATTLE BARON- LEATHER CO.
As
Used in EXPfWTtONS Around trie World
All HAHD-PUUTED. THICK, Genuine
Permanent THICK TIP
Original ''Ruddy-
Brown'' Color
* LEATHER CtNEHED
HANDLE & BALL W/
WRIST LOOP
Ft. Length £99.95
Eitra Long 12 Ft. $119.95
LEATHER BHT CARRIER 56.95
* A FORMIDABLE SURVIVAL TOOL •
When Swung Property., IQNETK ENERGY Maxes
the HP CH the ADVENTURER'S BULLWHiP* MOVE
Ar OVER 1*00 FEET PER SECmi
• WHP-HAM 0 LWG Instructions Inducted,
The WGHEST 0UAUTY, TOUGHEST BULlWHtPS
Avaiatte - Perfectly BALANCED For ACCURACY.
NOTE THESE IUUWHIPS
ME NOT TOYS 1 NOT CHEAP
fORIIGN NU0E SOUVENIRS
THEY ARE GENUINE,
AT QUA TEXAS FACTORY |Y
WASTER WHIPWUERS
CREDIT CARD PHONE OR MBS Call 15121 697-8900
send VISA CATTLE BARON LEATHER CO.
MC, ChecX p g BO x 100724 Dept. SOF7
SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS 7B201
or M.O. To:
COMBAT HISTORY ON VIDEO CASSETTE! WW II, Korea,
Vietnam. Over 70 programs. Free list for SASE. CM I, PO Box
40461, Nashville, TN 37204. (96)
WILD GEESE SELECTION. Customized gold plated emblems
for adventurers of distinction. Brochure SI, refundable. THE
WILD GEESE, Postfach 1145,6460-B Glenhausen, West Ger¬
many. (96)
SELF-DEFENSE FULLY ILLUSTRATED practical combat
courses. Blade: no-nonsense knife combat. Guerrilla tactics.
$8.95 postpaid. Unarmed combat: hard-hitting commando
style. Deadliest techniques. $10.95 postpaid. Free gift in¬
cluded! LIBRA ENTERPRISES, 486(SF^) Molimo, San Francis¬
co. CA 94127.
I
BUTTERFLY KNIVES
The Folding BALISONG
knives originated in the
Philipines-used by theirfight-
ing forces. Now made into
fine quality hunting knives.
The blade is of surgical
steel. The butterfly design
protects the working por¬
tion of the knife. A lever
locks the handle securely
In the open or closed posi¬
tion.
Model K98-P
$ 8 50 Ea.
and s 1 50
UPS charges
WESTBURY SALES CO. DEPT. P-7-SF
373 Maple Avenue, Weatbury, New York 11590
ADVENTURERS FIELD COURSES— All skills taught, desert-
training ops. Tactics, weapons, survivalism. Gear provided.
Application and information $1. EXPLORERS INTERNATION¬
AL, 580 Churchill, Fallon, NV 89406. (93)
FOR HIRE: 6-year USAF-S.E. Asia Vet. Sharp, knowledge¬
able professional with diverse background. Personal agent,
investigation, missing persons, courier, bodyguard, bounty,
photo, surveillance, etc. Individual or two-man team. All pro¬
jects considered with utmost discretion and confidentiality.
DDS, PO Box 50787. Palo Alto, CA 94303. (95)
SMOKY MOUNTAIN KNIFE WORKS has over 1 million
knives and cutlery items at wholesale prices. $2 gets you our
giant catalog by first class mail. THE KNIFE CATALOG, PO
Box 714SOF, Sevierville, TN 37862.
GRUPO DE ACCION EXTREMA— Saldar las cuentas con I os
enemigos de Vd. JOE GREEN, PO Box 31991, Raleigh, NC
27622-1991. USA. (94)_
RIGHT/LEFT/, RED/BLACK. Address directory of World
Communist and Nazi Parties, publications. Hundreds listed.
$10 cash. "Know your enemy". MICHAEL SEATON, 3617
South 46th Street, Greenfield, Wl 53220. (95)__
EUROPEAN COMPANY, for anyone who needs specialized
personnel. Discretion guaranteed. PO BOX 9158, 3506 GD
Utrecht, HOLLAND. (93)_
PROFESSIONAL FOR HIRE: Weapons Specialist, Jungle
Warfare, Pilot, Highly Skilled Individual or Teams— Discreet
and confidential, any assignments, US and overseas, WSG
(404) 662-9678. (95)_
FREE VIETNAM CATALOG— Tapes, Flags, Documents,
more— enclose 20 cent stamp to: BIEN HOA PRODUC¬
TIONS, Box 56, Dept. SF-19, Fayetteville, AR 72702.
NEW UPDATED CATALOG every 2 months! The best new
books on martial arts, weaponry, self-defense, survival and
revenge! Send $1 to PALADIN PRESS. PO Box 1307-JSO,
Boulder, CO 80306. (107)_
CONFIDENTIAL, DEPENDABLE mail forwarding and remail¬
ing. Free details. Write POSTAL SHOPPE, 369 East 900
South, Salt Lake CHy, UT 64111.
MILITARY BERETS, American. Black, green, tan. Sizes 7-73/4
$15. $2 postage. RIVENDALE ENTERPRISES, Suite 330A,
3017 St. Clair Ave,, Burlington, Ontario L7N-3P5. (93)
KEVLAR 29/49, fiberglass and graphite fabrics available now
in small quantities. For information write: HI-PRO-FORM FAB¬
RICS INC., 962 Devon Drive (S). Newark, DE 19711. (93)
GUARANTEED
10 YEARS!
!2£h96
JcSUd
| 3;-S1.96
SIZE
CLOSED
3*-$1.96
4--S2.96
„ _ 5"-$3.96
mtSST S.urd, L..,h.r {*„
iticallyi™*5 Caw* SI.25»a.
The knife for hunting,
fishing and all around
use. Mirror polished
sharp stainless/' ~
r'fppl hiartp /and automatically locks
d,, Ha ///'^ into position. Press button in handle to dose Safety
Hugged/// finger guard. Sure-gnp black handle. IF BROKEN WITHIN 10
tS WE WILL REPLACE/
YEARSW
SATNO CHARGE! Use 30 days
30 days, money
back if not pleased Add 99* postage & handling but ORDER ANY 3
KHJVES & WE SHIP FREE. ORDER TOOAY Midwest Knife Cc„ Dapt C-911
9043 S. Western Ave., Chicago. Ill 60620 Mail orders only. OUR m YEAH.
30 DAY MONEY BACK OFFER
KITCHEN IMPROVISED PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES— The
finest book ever on the subject of improvised plastique explo¬
sives. This manual contains home manufacture of C-4 and 14
other high-explosive plastiques. Send $8.50 to: INFORMA¬
TION PUBLISHING CO.. Dept. SOF, PO Box 10042, Odessa,
TX 79767-0042. (96)_
ARMING G.l. Practice grenades. 4,5-second fuses $10. Make
your own, book $4. FUSE, PO Box 1881, Murfreesboro, TN
37133. (98)_
“SECRET PEN GUN”— .22 cal., you make with simple tools
and materials. Guaranteed. Rush $4.95: ENTIUM, Box 1650-
A, Carolina, P.R. 00630.
TRACE MISSING PERSONS. Big money, adventure, leam
how. PO Box 1132H, Doylestown, PA 18901. (93)
Telephone Listening Device
Record telephone conversations in your
office or home. Connects between any
cassette or tape recorder and your
telephone or telephone LINE. Starts
automatically when phone is answered
Records both sides of phone conversation.
Stops recorder when phone is hung up.
This device is not an answering service.
Super Powerful
Wireless Mic
10 times more powerful than other mics. I
Transmits up to V< mile to any FM radio j
Easy to assemble kit. 15V battery (not ind.)
Cell (305) 725-1000 or send $19,95+ $1.00 shipping per
Item to USI Corp-, P O. Box SF-2052, Melbourne, FT. 32901.
COD’S accept For catalog of transmitters, voice scramblers
and other specialty items, enclose $2.00 to USI Corp-
ARMOURED VEHICLES FOR SALE: Tanks, armoured per¬
sonnel carriers, trucks, and jeeps. WAR EAGLE ENTER¬
PRISES, 11 714? W. Glenn Ave., Auburn, AL 36380. (205) 887-
6917. (93) __
NEW UPDATE CATALOG of unusual books on automatic
firearms, weaponry, home workshop guns, creative revenge,
survival plus much more! PALADIN PRESS, PO Box 1307-
KMV, Boulder, CO 80306. (107)
JERKY—IDEAL SURVIVAL FOOD. Simple, delicious, nutri-
tious. Nevada prospector secret recipe. Send $1 and SASE to
TJE, Box 50141-B Reno, NV 89513. (94)
FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION: T-Shirt Exact Repro. of origjn-
al, 7 flamed grenade with Legion Entranger, white on forest
green. $8.50 cash or MO to: VITO, 446 Hackensack Street,
Carlstadt, NJ 07072. (93) _
OWN YOUR OWN MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE. 20 miles from
Reno, Nevada. THISISNOTATIMESHARE. Only $300 each.
In 100 mountainous acres. GEMINI WILDERNESS, 1355 N.
McCarran, Reno, NV 89512. (97)
M-1 CARBINE, AR-15, AR-15A2, MINI-14, MAC 10 & 11, H&K
91, 93 & 94, RUGER 10/22, AR-180, UZI, M-1 A, Auto Ordn¬
ance Ml, 1927A1 & 1927A5, AP74, AR-7, KG-99, Explorer II,
Mini KG-99M, Savage 980 & 907, Remington 552, FN, FN-
FAL, FN-LAR, FNC, Glenfield-60, Vaimets, Maddis, AKMs,
AKSs, & Galils, Tec 9, Tec 9M, owners convert to SELECT
FIRE. $10 for catalog on all above. RJL Dept. TG, Box 82,
Clinton Comers, NY 12514. (97)
G.l. SURPLUS: A brand-new list of military Items (new &
used), includes clothing, knives, footwear, fieldgear, manuals,
etc. Send $1 to: THE SUPPLY SERGEANT. 3095 Hwy 20,
Buford, GA 30518. (93)
RANDALL KNIVES *** CUSTOM KNIVES Immediate deliv-
ery. No waiting! NORDIC KNIVES has about 300 in stock at all
times. Glossy color photos of the knives are included with our
list. List prices are $2 for RANDALL: $2 for CUSTOM, or both
for $3. We are Honorary members of the Knlfemaker’s Guild
and a major dealer for RANDALL-MADE KNIVES. Address
NORDIC KNIVES, 1634-C4 Copenhagen Drive, Solvang, CA
93463. Phone (805) 686-3612. (93)
COMBAT SANDALS'v
> LAND &
• WATER:
RUNNING. HIKING
RIVER FORDING
MARTIAL ARTS
BASIC SURVIVAL
JUNGLES/DESERTS
BEACH ASSAULT/WAR
• TOP SOLES (Leather) special water resistant
• BOTTOM SOLES [Rubber| non-marking Drown.
• BINDING SYSTEM j'/,’ Nylon) 1000 lb. teat Brown.
• LACES (V Cordura Nylon) 750 lb. teat Brown.
LENGTHS: 4 to 13W Men; 5 to 11W Women.
WIDTHS: |N) Narrow to Med; |W) Wide to Med.
If a perfect medium, order |N)
Write usual length 4 width if known. 4/or
send tricing of foot while standing.
NYLON LACES. WEBBING « LEATHER
ARE GUARANTEED 5 YEARS.
Send: 143. + $2. UPS
( Include this ad &
& UPS Is tree, f
Or lor more inlo 4 foot
sizing sheet, write or
phone: 16191 436-2222
M/C & VISA by phone.
Or phone your lavorlte
survival supplier.
Dealer Inquiries Invited
ALP SANDALS
244 N. HWY. 101-B
ENCINITAS. CA 92024
The Ultimate Hi-Perlormince Open Footwear!
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 109
WVM r.t-MIT
ON OIL RIGS. Guide covers 30 job categories, over
70 localities, 30 countries explored for oil in recent
years (from unskilled eg cooks, painters, to skilled
eg mechanics, engineers and others). Exceptional
perks — FREE travel. FREE accommodation. UP TO
6 months vacation per year on FULL PAY. Ages 18
to 50 eligible to work on most rigs. Experience not
essential but some backgrounds very helpful.
AMSA INTERNATIONAL oners one of the most
valuable guides to worldwide oil rig work available
anywhere. It'll show you how YOU can apply. How
to improve YOUR chances. It's easier than you
think!
Send your name, address and US$1.00 (tor
E ostaue & handling) and gel AMSA’s Color leaflets
y EXPRESS AIRMAIL!
ONE OF THE LAST GREAT OPPORTUNITIES!
1 st Come
L5I: Served
AMSA INTF FtMATKlHAt PO Etax 3*5
□HHihl* Bay. S ydUMf. 7tl23 AUSTRALIA
m
BRITISH MILITARIA COLLECTORS. Regimental Insignia
Sets, Blazer Crests, Ties and Wall Plaques of Elite British
Regiments SAS, RAF, Para etc. Scottish Clan Blazer Crets &
Ties'. Selected Weaponry. Import Catalog $2. BRITISH RE-
GALIA IMPORTS, PO Box 50473, Nashville, TN 37205. (94)
AtRBORNE/ELITE BOOKS our specialty. Also. Vietnam
material. List $1. THE BATTERY PRESS, INC., PO Box
3107C, Uptown Station. Nashville. TN 37219. (94)
SURVIVAL KNIFE: with 6” 2-sided blade, one saw-tooth edge
the other smooth, compass/butt unscrews from handle, inside
saw, matches, fishing supplies: with sheath and stone, $24.95.
SCOTT WHOLESALE SUPPLY. PO Box 16863, Ft. Lauder-
dale, FL 33318. (94) _
EAST GERMAN Communist "Ausweis" Cards in Russian/
German with red Soviet seal. Unissued, room for photo. Origin
unknown. $6, no personal checks. D. EWING, Box 993, Mont¬
pelier, VT 05602 (93) __
MAN FOR HIRE: prison guard from Illinois, will do courier and
some bounty hunting. All offers considered. Retainer plus ex¬
penses. Passport available. FLY, PO Box 402, Lochport, IL
60441-402.
BALLISTIC FACEGUARD. 20 layers of Kevlar protection, with
a reinforced open eyeslot, 12x1 V/z stops .45 hardball, yet
weighs only 28 oz. $125 cash or money order postpaid. In¬
formation $1. Kevfar test sample $8. FRANSE. PO Box 3347,
Boulder, CO 803Q7. (95) _
NINJA TOOLS— authentic weaponry hand-crafted by certi¬
fied Ninja Black Belt Instructor. Send $1 for catalog to: SCOR¬
PION ENTERPRISES UNLIMITED, PO Box 774, Tucker, GA
30065-0774. __
NEED TOTAL MAIL PRIVACY? Complete personal/business
service. Many privacy services/products. Write! SMS-SF6,
Box 3179, Tempe, AZ 65261. (96) _
FIREWORKS, BUY DIRECT Send $1 for a color catalog to:
ACE FIREWORKS, PO Box 221, Dept. F, Conneaut, OH
44030. (103) _ \ _
NEED MONEY? CREDIT!! Signature loans now available by
mail. From $500 to $25,000. ALL ELIGIBLE, no red tape, NO
CREDIT CHECK, for details and application RUSH! $1 to EIE,
Box 60707-F. Washington, DC 20039. (94)
UP TO $500,000 REWARD: The US Government pays re¬
wards for information. For 29 pages of statutes and explana¬
tions prepared by a former Federal Agent/Attomey. Send
$12.95 to LE.A.A., Law Enforcement Assistance Advisory.
100 South Wncker, PO Box 2574, Chicago, IL 60606. (94)
FOR HIRE: Ex-Paratrooper, team leader (long range patrol),
rangers (instructor), 3 tours Viet Nam.^cuba, seeks employ¬
ment in related field. Will train-lead-organize. Preference given
to Central America or will consider Body Guard/Courier Ser¬
vice. Not a cowboy! Send phone number or details. Passport.
Bondable. Principals only! CROSSBOW, Box 15424, Colora¬
do Springs, CO 80935. (101)
LEARN GUN REPAIR
- EARN EXTRA MONEY • VA <,
I Please RUSH FREE facts on how I can become
- professional gunsmith the QUICK easy home study
| way No Obligation. No salesman will call.
I NAME.___AGE __
I ADDRESS -
I CITY STATE_ ZIP __
M00BW GUN REPAIR SCHOOL, NPT5
|25» N. BTO ST., woan, AHZQKA 18X6
MILITARY SURPLUS— Chemical/biotogical warfare equip¬
ment, military clothing, equipment, decorations. Self-
addressed stamped (39 cents), envelope for catalog. JR
SALES, Box 4253F, Uncaster, CA 93539-4253.
LIFE-SAVING SURVIVAL TRAINING: Wilderness, heme,
nuclear, civil disorder, natural disaster, para-military—Enclose
$2 for brochure. INFINITY SURVIVAL CENTER, Rt. 10, Box
524, Columbia, MO 65202. ATTN: BAC SI, (93)_
TREASURE EXPEDITIONS: Share risks and riches. Men and
women needed now. Contact: FORTUNE'S OWN, PO Box
93E, Munising, Ml 49862. (93)
RHODESfAN/SOUTH AFRICAN War Books unobtainable in
USA. Write: GALAGO PUBLISHING, PO Box 404, Alberton
1450, South Africa, for free catalog. (96)
TANTO—BY COLD STEEL, 11W of what is ranked as one of
the world's fiercest dose-quarter combat weapons. Nationally
advertised at $129.95. Buy now for $110 plus $2 shipping. THE
SURVIVOR'S EDGE, Box 16050-02, Shawnee, KS 66203, $2
US (refunded with order), for illustrated price list. (95)
SMOKE GENERATING DEVICES (Candles, bombs, gre¬
nades) - an essential part of the survivallst's inventory. Excel¬
lent for smoke screens, dispersing crowds, signaling, fire drills,
etc. Urge generating capacities and extremely dense smoke.
All fresh and fully guaranteed. We pay shipping charges in
U.S.A. Send $2 (refundable with order), for catalogue of these
and othfer important products. SIGNUS, Box 33712-K2,
Phoenix, A2 05067.
MILITARY VEHICLE books on WW 2 and modem tanks,
jeeps, military trucks. Huge selection. 3 stamps or $1 for 32-
page catalog. PORTRAYAL PRESS, Box 1913E, Bloomfield,
NJ 07003. (93)
THE MOST POWERFUL NON NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES
EVER DEVELOPED!
MORE POWERFUL THAN TNT, C-4 PLASTIC,
NITROGLYCERIN OR P3XN-L ASTROLITE Q, AND
ASTROUTE A-1-S ARE THE MOST POWERFUL NON¬
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES AVAILABLE TODAY
EASILY PROW/CED FROM TWO COMMERCIAL¬
LY AVAILABLE COMPONENTS, (3 FOR A-1-S),
ASTROUTE EXPLOSIVES CAN BE MADE IN A MAT¬
TER OF MINUTES, AND WITH MORE EASE AND
SIMPLICITY THAN VIRTUALLY ANY OTHER EX¬
PLOSIVE KNOWN. GUARANTEED
ASTROUTE G
d§t velocity B.600
ASTROUTE A4-S
del. velocity 7,600 rrt.p.s.
For Complete Marwtecturfng Instructions , Send S15.00 to:
NUCLEAR RESEARCH
BOX 10073 G. S. SPRINGFIELD, MO. 65808
©1080 NUCLEAR RESEARCH
ORDERLY/HOUSEBOY WANTED for former officer; energe¬
tic, young, sober, teachable, military trained, send history: PO
BOX 15911, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815.
ISRAEL MILITARY INSIGNIAS: All genuine including Para¬
trooper, Naval Commando, Air Force, Armored Corps Infantry,
Golant, and others. Send $1 for catalogue or $12 for a sample
of 4 badges. ISRAELI INSIGNIAS, PO Box 31006, Tel Aviv,
81310, ISRAEL (95)
Gl SUPPLY 201-875-3252
R.R. #1 BOX 782 Dept, sof
AUGUSTA, N.J. 07822
JUNGLE HAMM
For 200
Item
Catalog!
We have not seen a hammock of this good quality in a
long time. This Hammock is a copy of the Hammock used
in WWII and Vietnam. It is a combination insect proof
hammock or stake it as a tent. Full length canopy keeps
you dry and the nylon netting keeps those flying' and
crawling insects off of you. _
Cashiers check money order personal checks or Visa A Master 6ard
qiadiy accepted NOCODs AH merchandisers iO0%quaran!eetl
Residents or Alaska Hawbn and Puerto Rico add 5% lor shipping
KNIVES, ALL KINDS. Historic weapons and swords. Custom
and knife kits. Ali type blades. Unbeatable prices. Catalogs $2.
DE INTiNINS, f 07 Summit Ave , S.l. NY 1Q30S.
CAPS WITH MILITARY insignias of Elite Fighting Forces.
Send SASE for illustrated folder. A&D PRODUCTS, Box 286-
S065, Belair, MD 21014.
EX-MARINE, 35 years Qld wants to be part of team going back
to get our POW-MIA in SE Asia— it’s a matter ot honor, we
leave no one behind! PO BOX 361, Areola, IL SI 910.
DUTCH SHOCKTROOPER seeks employment, PO BOX 165,
4130 Ed Vianen, THE NETHERLANDS
EXPLOSIVES— 2 unique powerful formulas. One using plain
aspirin, one from human urine. Easy instructions. $4 each, $7
both. NORTHSTAR RESEARCH, 32 Hardy Way, Hiram, GA
30141.
POLICE T-SHIRTS: Large selection ot T-shirts for policemen.
FBI, CIA, NYPD, SWAT and many more! Free brochure.
CENTURION SHIRT COMPANY, Box 482, Merrick, NY
11566.
COMMANDO DAGGER: The complete illustrated history of
the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife. Written by Leroy Thompson,
this bock is invaluable to collectors and those interested in
combat knives. G T /t 2 Xl t, clcthbound, 189 photos, 176 pp. Send
$28 ppd., to PALADEN PRESS, PO Box 1307-JCD, Boulder
CO 80306.
EX-SF VET seeks short-term contracts. Serious inquiry only
please. BOX 26425, Tucson, AZ 85726. TOORI.
COURIER, equipment procurement, confidential needs dis¬
creetly handled. TOORI, Box 26425, Tucson, AZ 85726.
VIET—ERA VET, 71-74. Could enjoy some south of the border
work. Spanish-speaking and current passport holder. BOX
26425, Tucson, AZ 65726. TOORI.
PLANNING A RUMBLE in the jungle? We have the goods. $2
for complete catalog. MILlTEX SALES, Dept. RJ-II. Box
46499, Chicago, IL 60646.
DOCTOR AVAILABLE for short-term situations, nothing illeg-
al (in U.S.), PO BOX 23553, Jacksonville, FL 32241-3535. (95)
ATTENTION CAMMIE WEARERS! We now have the O.D.
version of the American and Confederate Flag shoulder patch.
This quality patch is ideal for camouflage applications, allowing
you to wear ycur flag without compromising your concealment.
Send $3.75 (US), or $4.50 (Foreign), Check or Money Order to:
OUTPOST AMERICA, PO Box 50251, Cicero, IL 60650.10%
discount on orders of 10 or more. (94)
CONFIDENTIAL COURIER. Any country, reliable, valid pass¬
port, knowledgeable traveler, professional, no contraband. S/
P, PO Box 2093, Virginia Beach, VA 23450. (94)_
UZI RECOIL COMPENSATOR; Specify carbine or pistol; $25.
Will make for most firearms. Send stamp for information. JJN,
PO Box 215, Clifton, VA 22024. (96)
WORLDWIDE AUTHENTIC Military Medals, Badges. Wings,
Surplus etc. Over 20,000 Homs in stoeh Canadian Airborne
Cap and Collar Badge set; $25 postpaid. Our latest catalogue
$2; cash. INV1CTA INTERNATIONAL, 740 Gladstone, Ottawa.
CANADA KIR 6X5. (95) _
VIETNAM VETERANS: Quality KhaidTil^l^nY^^
sed US and Vietnam flags with the wording, "VIETNAM
VETERAN" "DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY”. Specify S, M, L,
X-L, and send $7.95 plus $1.50 handling (III. res. add 48 cents
tax), to: KNOXGUN ENTERPRISES, Dept. SOF, 301 N. Cedar
Street, Abingdon, IL 61410. (95)
CAMOUFLAGE CLOTHING: Portuguese: poncho, type used
by colonial forces in Africa, one size fits all, new with drawstring
hood; $25. Shirt with epaulettes, new full range of sizes; $20.
British bush hats; $10. Czechoslovakian field jacket, 6-pocket
combat trousers, and hat; $60 for the set. All of Ihe above
postpaid. J. HARTY, Dept. SOF, 495 Main St., Yarmouth-Pert,
MA 02675.
LOOKING FOR SERVICEMEN who served in Vietnam with
ARVN translator Sgt. Nguyen-Van-Sau. Units: F-Troop, 17th
Cav. 196th Brigade; C-Co. 3/27 Bn. 196th; 3/16 ARTY. BN
America!; 0Sth MAT TEAM: NHA BE District; GIA DINH MACV-
NIGHTHAWK. Write: J. TOOMEY, 2535vt> West 4th Street,
Los Angeles. CA 90057,
SILENT FIREPOWER: Most complete crossbow catalog
available, $1. Martial Arts, Special Weapons & Survival Aids.
M&M ENTERPRISES, Box 64, Dept. SOF, Island Lake, IL
60042. m) _
MERCENARY FOR HIRE: All offers considered, short-term,
discreet and confidential. Reply: ANDY, PO Box 12612, Hunt¬
sville, AL 35802.
nmMTw
MILITARY MEDALS
WORLD WAR il * KOREA * VIETNA
Full Size U.S. and Vietnamese Medals. Ribbons.
Badges, Fine Display Cases, Miniature Medals,
Personal Service, Display the valuable Medals
awarded you or your (amity. Guaranteed!
HT-J 0 FREE CATALOG Jo jjYTTJj
Write » MEDALS. 222S North Dickerson
TodjjJ^^^^chooLRoa^^gartisle^A^tTOI^
110 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
l
JULY 85
BINOCULARS—SCOPES, Steiner Military Marine designed
tor NATO, also Zeiss, Swift, Swarovski, Jason. Finest binocu¬
lars, scopes at low discount prices. REC OPTICS, 1 *800-247-
2499, in Michigan 618-343-8069. (95)_
HOLEX WATCHES— also Heuer, Breitling, Chronosporl,
Seiko for active people. Very competitive prices. Call 1-800-
247-2499, in Mtohigan(616) 343-8069. (95)_.
AWESOME OFFER: Chaplain psychic mercenary reveals top
secret government report SDA 86-2020. Events to come, in¬
formation, PKG dates, places et cetera. SCIENTIFIC DATA
—be prepared— SURVIVAL! $5 plus 50 cents postage. MO to:
CHAPLAIN COL. CICERO A. COCCHI, Cicero Inf! Ministry,
6622 Parker Square Drive, PO Box 186. Parker, CO 80134.
WRITE TODAY. (94) __
HIGH RISK CONTRACTS. Experienced U.S. & International
Pvt Investigator, Foreign Legion and mercenary, electronic
and explosives expert All return responses by telephone only.
Send contact number and allow 3 weeks delay. Write: KARL
RAIDER, Postfach 1145, 6460 Gelnhausen, West Germany
(FRQ). (105)_
NEED WEAPONS? Gun Dealer Instruction Course, $4.95,
Federal Laws, State Laws, Wholesalers Directory, Machine-
Gun License Manual, Concealed Gun Permits, All publications
above: $14.95, Record Books Firearms, Ammunition: $5.95.
COD’s, Visa/MasterCard accepted. FREE CATALOG. RED¬
DICK, 1821H Bacon, San Diego, 92107.
HANDGUNS— Combat/Seif-Defense. Handguns— New York
State (Law). The actual Municipal Police Services handbooks
fortraining NY State Law Enforcement Officers. $4.50 each/ $8
for both. P.S.M. SERVICES, University Station. Box 384, Syra-
cuse, NY 13210._
REMAJLS AND MAIL FORWARDING. Use me if you want no
problems. Ex-Marine. Details—ALCOM, Rt. 3, Box 301, Mur-
ray, KY 42071.
HECKLER & KOCH
Complete line of accessories—send Large SASE
(two stamps) for prices and availability to:
BUDDY HINTON
Dept SOF. 8411 Churchville
Houston, Texas 77080
Call ONLY after 6pm CST (713) 465-4292
DEVELOP THE DEATHGRIP. Send for free course.
POWERGLOVE CO., 1450 E. 357 Street, Eastiake, OH
44094. _
SECRET MAIL to whomever, whatever, wherever you write.
You can do It discreetly, confidentially. Mail forwarding/letter
composing/typing/applications/certified letters. Write: H.M.,
PO Box 521167, Miami, FL 33152-1167 (No threats).
ONE GUARDFATHER PEN WANTED: will pay $60 for this
$30 product. Only want 1 ,30 only the first call matters. CALL
COLLECT (51 2) 467-8460.
FULL AUTO RUGER 10-22
Conversion plans, Mtrls, Incl., Com¬
plete in 1'hour, Simple and Reliable,
$10, E. Sweat, 612 E. LaFlata St, Far¬
mington, N,M.87401.
PILOTS, PATRIARCHES subscribe to The American Free¬
dom Fighter. A monthly magazine devoted to the preservation
and protection of America and our freedom by the use of armed
civilian aircraft, radios, vehicles, shelters, etc. 1985 subscrip¬
tion, 12 issues, $15 or $20 overseas. THE AMERICAN FREE¬
DOM FIGHTER. Box 1397, Harrison, AR 72602, (94-485)
MILITARY AND MARTIAL ARTS Catalog $1 — for P&H. Free
gift sent with catalog. THE SEA BAG, 4523 E. Wonderlake
Drive, Wonderiake, IL 60097. (94-485) _
WANTED: Mrdeast employment by Army trained Sam techni¬
cian. JR Wilber, Box 360, Belleville, KS 66935. (913) 527-
5076. (94-485? _
BULLET PROOF VEST outerwear. Call or write for free details
and information. BODY ARMOUR PROTECTION. 314 W.
53rd St, NY NY 10019. (94-485) _
PRIVATE MAfL and Answering Service. For the professional
person on the move who wishes to remain unknown and needs
a particular service: daily sorting and forwarding, copy service,
and clipping. It pays not to miss a phone call or a letter. Phones
manned 24 hours for the convenience of our customers.
Monthly mailing list upon request. If you feel you need a service
such as this contact DEBBIE at (615) 436-9785 (Day) or (615)
436-4335 (Night), or write: DEBBIE. Rt. 2, Box 682 Village
Loop Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. (97-465)^
ELITE FIGHTING FORCES Insignia Caps. Large selection.
Send 20-cent stamp for illustrated folder. A&D PRODUCTS,
Box 286-S075, Belalr, MD 21014. (94-485)
LATEST MODEL 6 SHOT
ITALIAN AUTOMATIC TEAR GAS GUN
ONLY
$ 7 ?“
POSTPAID
Fires 22 cal. tear
gas or blank ammo.
Solid metal. 6 shot clip
fed. Rapid firing. With in- ^
structions & free cleaning rod. ,
For self-protection, theatre; dog I
training, sports. Purchaser must ' , J JL1 ^
be over 2if Money back guarantee.
WESTBURY SALES CO. Cl lifam a.
P.O.BOX 434, Dept. TA-7-SF, Westbury, New York 11590
KNIVES, BLOWGUNS, Martial Arts. Now available at
wholesale prices. Large illustrated catalog. $2 refundable with
order. SPECIAL CUTLERY, 1104 Lee, Dept SF, Des Plaines,
IL 60016. (100-485)
CONCEALED WEAPONS— contemporary products tor an
urban environment. Mail a SASE for free catalog. MICHAEL'S
SHOP, Box 3056, Woburn, MA 01888. (94-485)
CLARKSON'S NO CHECKS, Financial privacy, the only effec¬
tive way. Procedural guidebook on How to Get Out of Banking
with details, forms and simple explanation, $5,515 CONCORD
AVE„ Anderson, SC 29621. (94-485)_
"PARALYZER”— A hand held chemical weapon also used by
police and military. 5 year guarantee, and " repulse” rape
deterrent easily concealed, non-violent. For information write:
WILLIAM D. GREEN, 242 Waterman Ave„ No. 74A, N. Provi-
dence, Rl Q2911. (94-485) _
GUN FOR HIRE: 37 year old professional mercenary desires
lobs. Vietnam Veteran. Discrete and very private. Body guard,
courier, and other special skills. All jobs considered. Phone
(615) 436-9765 (days) or (615) 436-4335 (nights), or write: Rt.
2, BOX 682 Village Loop Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. (97-
*65)_
REGULATION INSIGNIA: All military branches and police. All
genuine. Over 1000 items including rank, wings, badges, mini¬
ature medals. NASA patches. Catalog $2: add $1 if 1st class
mailing desired. KAUFMAN’S ARMY NAVY GOODS, Dept.
A-507, 1660 Eubank NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. (95)
CAMOUFLAGE COLLECTION CATALOG— 32 pages: $1.
Jackets, pants, cloth, caps, berets, insignia, more. Genuine Gl.
KAUFMAN’S ARMY NAVY GOODS, Dept. A-207, 1660
Eubank NE, Albuquerque. NM 87712. (95)_
DOG TAGS, GENUINE Gl— Commando black or stainless
steel. Free brochure. Send stamped envelope. KAUFMAN S
ARMY NAVY GOODS, Dept. A-807, 1660 Eubank NE, Albu¬
querque, NM 87112. (95)__
RAY-BAN SUNGLASSES— 25% off list prices. Also USAF
NASA pilot sunglasses. All genuine! Toll free ordering and
immediate shipment. Send self-addressed stamped envelope
for free brochure. KAUFMAN’S ARMY NAVY GOODS, Dept
A-907, 1660 Eubank NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. (95)
CAMOUFLAGE TIES! A must for every well dressed out-
doorsman. Genuine military issue woodland cloth. Choose:
pointed end or straight fold.. $9.95 each: 2 for $18.95. Add
shipping: $2 1st tie; 2 or more $3. KAUFMAN’S ARMY NAVY
GOODS, Dept. A-3007, 1660 Eubank NE, Albuquerque, NM
87112. (95)
PRIVACY CATALOG FREE! Discover latest fow-profile tech¬
niques. Avoid banks, taxes, surveillance. Hide assets. Secret
loans, identity. Foreign passports. EDEN PRESS, Box 8410-
SR, Fountain Valley, CA 92728. (98)__
FREE MONEY SOLUTIONS CATALOG! Get new credit, jobs,
degrees. Home businesses. Cash income opportunities.
EDEN, Box 8410-SP, Fountain Valley, CA 92728. (98)
FOR HIRE: Will travel, hlgh-nsk position accepted, courier. All
offers considered, short-term. All inquiries strictly confidential.
PROCTOR (702) 736-6338. (93)
FANTASTIC SPACE-AGE
ELECTRONICS
LASER WEAPONS, INVISIBLE
PAIN-FIELD GENERATORS, MORE...
Survival writer discovert... secret
sources for laser pistols, listening devices,,
ultrasonic pain field generators, paralyzing
self-defense protectors, true I.R. see-in-the-
dark viewers, absolute security systems, bug
detectors, voice scramblers, micro-trans¬
mitters, electronic tracking devices, ultrq-
sophisticated detection and surveillance equip¬
ment, police broadcast unscramblers, many
more too ••hot” to print. Send $2.00 for giant
catalogue (get $2.00 credit) To:
UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS, Dept F-7
15015 Ventura Blvd., Ste. #1653, Sherman Oaks,
REDEYE/STINGER Instructors for hire. Outside US; Central
America preferred No Reds. A.D., PO Box 277, Divide, CO
80814, (93)_'
DISCOVER POWERFUL EXOTIC electronic devices, not for
the timid. Catalog $2. F & P ENTERPRISES, Box 51272, Palo
Alto, CA 94303-C. (94)
CASSETTES: German Marches, 60-minute. $8 each; 3 for
$19.50; all 9 for $49.50. Send SASE for list. HAMMER, Box
1393-SF, Columbus, IN 47201. (95)_
“FREEDOM FROM A LIFE OF HELL" 100 healing guides.
Escape heartache, defeat, worry; $2. NEWLIFE, Box 684-AE,
Boulder City, NV 89005._
FIREWORKS— Fun, safe, patriotic; top quality, lowest prices,
illustrated catalogue $1; (refundable). PYRO-SONIC DE¬
VICES, Box 711-8(6, Grand Haven, M( 49417. (100)
CUSTOM EMBROIDERED EMBLEMS— Enameled pins,
your design, low minimum, excellent quality, low prices, free
booklet. A.T. PATCH & CO., Dept 133. Lrttleton. NH 03561.
(603) 444-3423. (98)
Original
CAMOUFLAGE M43 CAP
REVERSIBLE FALL TO SPRING, WITH INSIGNIA.
Sizes:
SM, M, L, XL
Only $35.
POSTPAID
GIANT Catalog of Camouflage
& German Militaria - $2. (Free w/Order)
KRUPPER
L— BOX 177K • SYRACUSE, N.Y. 13208__
GERMAN 2-SIDED camouflage reversible smocks. Exact
WWII copy. Best quality 100% cotton drill. Type one smocks
postage paid USA-CANADA. Postal Money Orders only.
Forest— $94, Mottled— $99, 5/6 overprint— $120. Splinter
reversible to white— $105, others Autumn/Spring. Specify
over/under 5’9” tall? Matching hoods, M43 Field Caps avail¬
able. Five different German 53” camouflage fabrics available.
15/22 cent U.S. stamps for illustrated list/samples. B.L.
OTOOLE, PO Box 64385, Tacoma 98464. (109)_
SNARES AND TRAPS. The most complete illustrated book
solely concerning animal and man traps. Both capture and
killing traps. From small wire rabbit snares and take alive deer
snares, to deadly path guarding bow and arrow traps and
stabbers. $10. A.D. MARTIN, Rt. 3, Box 1310, Troup. TX
75789._
CONFIDENTIAL RELIABLE Cleveland branch office/remail¬
ing services. Inexpensive, secret mail receiving/forwarding.
Free details. CMS, Bex 25491F, Cleveland, OH 44125. (94)
MILITARY HISTORY
ON VIDEQCASSETTES
Set military hitexy as it hcppcna J ! World
War I through the Falkland* campaign. The
other side of World War lit original German
combat newsree l s and features of the great
bottles. Rare Allied Army and Air Force documentaries. Also Korea, Vietnam,
and contemporary Soviet Army. Over 300 titles reproduced from original source
materials. Beto/VHS, also PAl Standard. Reasonable prices, fast service. Write
or phone for free illustrated catalog. INTERNATIONAL HISTORIC FILMS,
Bom 29035, Chicago, Illinois 60639, Phone 312-436-8051.
COLORSLIDES— Vietnam action, Thailand, Hawaii. Hong
Kong R&R. Set of 20 slides & catalog— $19.95, specify coun-
try. Write: VISUALS, PO Box 381215, Miami, FL 33138. (95) '
FIREWORKS— looking for information? All kinds of technical
reports and manufacture manuals available. Send stamped
envelope for free listing. RSA, Box 146, Willow Grove, PA
19090. (95) _
MILITARY MINIATURES, imported chess sets, metal model
cars, model gun kits and more. Rush $2 for catalog to: SHOW¬
CASE MINIATURES. PO Box 1011, Dept. SF, Hutchinson. KS
67504-1011. (341
EMBLEMS CUSTOM EMBROIDERED, any cuantity.
THREAD LETTER EMBROIDERY CORPORATION, Dept.
SF. 1929 East 52nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46205. (317) 257-
1424. (98) _
BUY DIRECT and Save. Genuine government issue. $2 for
catalog. MILITEX, Box 46499, Dept. —$ Chicago, IL 60646.
NEW, GENUINE issue summer wear BDUs; $24.95 each.
$47,95/set. MILITEX, Bax 46499, Chicago, IL 60646.
SURVIVAL CABLE saw fits in pocket, many uses; $2 ppd,
SLIPPERY ROCK SALES, Dept. SF, Box 447, Slippery Rock.
PA 16057.
JULY 85
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 111
SHOOT ,22LR’s IN YOUR MINI-14
THE ''HOHHEIN”
. .22LR CONVERSION KIT
► Pjlerl
$139.95 + $3.00 Shipping
Crtfflltf C**rt. Moitty Orftf, COD If It. niiilmu Ml MSI. bin Till
Em SOW). MKitiqn m H a - OlEli Dlnct - No FFl Roqvlfld
For AAUIhuiol Intormum* food 111*
JONATHAN ARTHUR CIENER, INC.
"HtCULTY PAOOOCn-
UIlai MTt. IUB Rfc*n« 0 « Of . Tllmlll*. fl ttno. 0M)Mt-lUl
MURPHY’S LAWS for combat operations: dozens of enter¬
taining, thought-provoking maxims on 24x36 illustrated poster
in tube mailer. For veteran, enthusiast alike. Send $6.50 post¬
paid to: ARCLIGHT, Box 58170-SF1, Suite 1045, Houston, TX
77258. Money back if not delighted.
INTRODUCING ZIPPER II. ‘ Concealed in plain sight". A really
neat cane gun that can be built in a day using pipe fittings,
some very basic hardware store materials, and only ordinary
hand tools. Plans and complete instructions for .38,9mm, and
black powder all for $10. SERENDIPITY INK, PO Box 597,
Grovetown, GA 30813.
VIETNAM, KOREA, WW II Veterans’ Certificates. Colored,
10x13 with gold seal. $9.95,2 for $14.95. LOGSDON, Box 235,
Milpitas, CA 95035. (98)
DANGER MAPS! 43 different USA attack, fallout, plague,
murder, etc., Manual: $7.95. ALLIED, Box 41323AK, Phoenix,
AZ 85080.__
“THE SURVIVOR'S HANDBOOK” 60 real war/disaster/de¬
fense/survival subjects illustrated, simplified. "Pure gold":
$12.95. ALLIED, Box 41323AJ, Phoenix, AZ 85080.
BOOK SALE
Lowest Prices Anywhere
Write for Free Brochure
(Stamps Appreciated)
KEN HALE
Box 395{SOF)
McDonald, Ohio 44437
COMBAT TRAINING COURSES. Survive/win on modem bat¬
tlefield! Sample, course listings: $3 (refundable). ALLIED, Box
41323AT, Phoenix, AZ 85080.
AGENT ORANGE FREE. SASE appreciated. ALLIED, Box
41323AP, Phoenix, AZ 85080.
FLAME THROWER PLANS, easy to build: $5 to: JERRY
CATO, Box 1383, Belleville, IL 62223.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN COMMANDO SCHOOL 1st para¬
chute-jump training, advanced freefall techniques, weapons,
survival, scuba—complete course by Special Forces and Ran¬
ger instructors. To reserve a date contact: PO BOX 963, Hotch-
kiss, CO 81419.___
101 USES FOR A DEAD FEMINIST— Combat the feminist/
communist plague that’s destroying America, Well give all
methods, and you’ll have a belly laugh too with this hilarious
manual. Write for free, shocking details: UNIFIT, Dept. M, 115
Northampton, Amhearst 01002.
VIETNAM PHOTOS. VC KIA:$10. Caches, civilians: $5. Arun
Death Cards: $5. Propaganda Circulars: $5. D. GRANT, Rt. 2
Box 174, Lyman, SC 29365.
LC-1 ALICE PACKS, U.S. Issue Medium Pack w/ straps NEW
$35. A.H.A., Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221.
INTERNATIONAL MILITARY SUPPLY, latest listing of uni-
forms & equipment from around the world! List: 50 cents.
I.M.S., Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221.
M-33 BASEBALL HANDGRENADES, latest U.S. issue w/
moving parts: $8. MK2 Pineapple grenades: $7.50. A.H.A.,
Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221.
S.E.A.L. CAMO BERETS, current issue with SEAL Crest; $24,
SPECIAL: Vietnam Tigerstripe SEAL Beret & Crest; $25.
A.H.A., Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221.
PORTUGUESE Special Forces Beret, latest issue with Metal
Crest: $18. A.H.A., Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221._
TIGER-STRIPE JUNGLE FATIGUES, 4-pocket jacket & 6-
pocket pants with -reinforced elbows, knees & seat? $52 per
suit. A.H.A., Box 21606, Denver, CO 80221.
QUALITY PARTS COMPANY: The finest parts and accessor¬
ies: AR15/MI 6, UZI, .45 Auto, Mini-14, FN/FAL, HK91/93 shot¬
guns, Bushmaster. Send $1 for 60-page catalog to: 803
FORESTAVE., Portland, ME 04103. (207) 775-1744. COD’S,
Visa and MasterCard welcome.
BULLETPROOFING BOOKS! "Body Armor/Shirts", plans,
fabric sources— $3.95. "Harden your home", simple techni¬
que (plus portables, gates, fences) —$6.95. "Bulletproof
Glass”, report —$2.95. All 3—$12.95! ALLIED, Box 41323AH,
Phoenix, AZ 850B0. _
BEST GUN DEALER Applications Kit! Plus Instructions, train¬
er, laws, wholesalers, discounts —$5 (refundable)! ALLIED,
Box 41323AN, Phoenix, AZ 85080.
50,000 MAPS! Military, intelligence, travel, topos, quads. Any¬
place! $3 (refundable). ALLIED, Box 41323AO, Phoenix, AZ
85080.
MERCENARY: looking for a partner or team with high paying
contracts. USMC Vet, with knowledge of weapons and demo.
RESIDENT, PO Box 1288, Great Neck, NY 11021.
GUN FOR HIRE— ail jobs considered. Nam Sniper, Ex-Chief
of Police, instructor SWAT, Pistol, Security Specialist, plus.
MIKE (214) 756-5941. Rt. 1 Box 396, Linden, TX 75563,
W.W. II COLLECTORS
OX l it 10.000 I I IMS
Hats-Badgos-Medals of all Nations.
U.S. Officer’s Cap (new from
original U.S. maker), tan with
brawn leather visor, chin strap
and U.S. Eagle pin. State size S,
M, or Lg.*58.00
We pay postage. Our 224 i
fully niur*-*- J - 1
FREE
Illustrated catalog
feE with order).
W.W. #2 Ltd., Box 2063-f St. Louis, M0 63158
SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT— discount prices. Sportsmen, hun¬
ters, survivalists. Discount prices on top quality, brand name
products. Commando and regular army surplus, survival
books, weapon accessories, edged weapons, binoculars,
electronics and more. Request your free discount price list.
Write: AMERICAN WILDERNESS & SURVIVAL SUPPLY,
Box 3161, Oak Brook, IL 60522._
RED DAWN! NOT HERE! Join the North American Defense
Assoc. Ages 16-65. Send $3 for Application & info. N.A.D.A.,
PO Box 889, Paradise, CA 95969 (96)
EARN BIG BUCKS! Great new concept. Free information.
Send stamped, self-addressed envelope to: HOMEWORKER,
Box 367, Vacherie, LA 70090. (95)_
MERCENARIES WANTED: Are you a military veteran, or
experienced in the areas of secunty, investigative, bodyguard
or mercenary? Then the IMA is for you. The IMA is a world¬
wide organization composed of some of the world’s best spe¬
cialists. Our organization is dedicated to helping professionals
obtain employment. $20 membership fee covers lifetime
fraternity membership. 1 year active employment file, and cer¬
tificate for framing. No obligation. IMA, Box 232, Shrewsbury,
PA 17361. (97)_
FIREWORKS: Free selected Class "C” price list, shipped
year-round. NEW ENGLAND FIREWORKS UNLIMITED, PO
Box 3504-F, Stamford, CT 06905. (95-485)
EXPENDABLE AIRCRAFT! (Not ultralight kites)! Fast Boats!
UNBELIEVABLE ADAPTABILITIES, use imagination! INEX¬
PENSIVE (truthfully)! I fabricate quickly per need on site from
common materielst Durable! Workable, proven designs!
JACKSON, (602) 385-4737. (94)
VIETNAM WAR MAPS. 15 reprint maps manual: $3.95.
"Chieu Hoi, the Winning Ticket": $3.95. "Vietnam Catalog"
-with order. ALLIED, Box 41323AG, Phoenix, AZ 85080.
SECRET TELEPHONE
RECORDING DEVICE
SPECIAL HALF-PRICE OFFER_
. ONLY T 50% .
$ 2 , 24 $ «... « «- * OFF.J
$ 14.95
This fantastic miniature electronic device turns any tape
recorder into a SECRET PHONE BUG that silently and
automatically records both sides of your telephone
conversation! Connects any cassette tape recorder to your
telephone anywhara along the phone line. Automatically
starts tape recorder when phone is picked up, records both
sides of phone conversation with crystal clarity, then turns
recorded off when phone is hung up! Includes all attach¬
ments. Completely self-contained unit never needs
batteries! Not to be used for surveillance ALSO, our
giant catalogue of laser weapons, surveillance devices, and
much more is included FREE with every order! 100%
MONEY-BACK-GUAHANTEE. Send $14.95 + 2.25
shipping ($17.20) to: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS,
Dept. F7S, 15015 Ventura Blvd., Ste. #16S3, Sherman Oaks,
CA 91403. Or send $2.00 fof giant catalogue!
THE WOLF is taking on new contracts. Will consider all situa¬
tions. WOLF (305) 773-5118. (94)_
GO BACK TO HANOI, Jane Fonda...and stay there! Bumper
stickers, $3 each. P.A.F., Box 62, Brownfield, TX 79316. (94)
ITALIAN STILETTOS! Here’s one for your collection. 13’’
overall, 6" polished-steel blade, positive front lock, dark handle
only, $18.95.9" overall stiletto, polished-steel blade, positive
front lock, dark or white handles, $10.95. Include $2 postage
and handling. DUFFY ENTERPRISES, PO Box L, Dept. SF7,
Bayvllle, NJ 08721. (97)_
POLICE CAPS & T-SHIRTS— Largest selection city, state,
federal official insignias. Freo brochure— send self-addressed
stamped envelope. SQUADRON SUPPLY CO., PO Box
28038, Baltimore. MD 21239.
CUSTOM IMPRINTED CAPS— We print anything! No mini-
mums! Free brochure. CUSTOM CAP CO., Box 341B, West-
minster, MD 21157. (95)_
INFORMATION ON EVERYTHING is available to you from
one source: weapons systems, explosives, mercenary activi¬
ties, remailing services, surveillance and more. Write for free
information or send $5 for prompt service. THE ABORIGINE
ENTERPRISE. Box 274, Ft. Polk, LA 71459.
ADVERTISERS INDEX
Advertiser
Page
a bale M the ftgM
. .93
Annexing Cgnwpls .. ,.
. .78
AnieiiCvin Sijklicft? Of Fortune- .
. ta
Afi-sauii Sysiena;.
. 92
AutHjm-Wof/e.
. 94
Auto Ordnance.
. 10
Infgrr.^ticinal..
...11
1 riluc Ang::l Fimwxjrks .
.97
Slue LngOOri....
.100
Srigaife DtiarSttniajtera.
_25
Catitornla Mountain Company .
... . . .75
CCS Oz mm unseat-ana...
.23
Citizens tor Hagan ..
Goifctotor's Armoury. . ..
n
Coy Sieel
£2*9
CCS!. .
. 4
Comral Weapons.
.09
Corrial Weapons EKpesttfln . .
.07
PdIc^m 8 Foreign Atfaim
. 2?
1 Qyn mit .. ..
.. ..as
The Du term am..
Doudleday. .
... 9
Enforcer s Quitting .,..,..
.90
Fine Ordnance.
. 78
Gerber ie^anriary P2adE& . ......
Gu?>ciniDcd -Dial .,... ..... .
Gun South.. .
. Ccjvftf ^
GufT3 & Adtett SubSiTrieliCflS- .
.. . ..01
Gulman Cullery .
.K>
HeoklEF 6 Koca.
. €
HK5. me . ... ..
... ..18
House -ol Wessons. -
.101
INCQ..
.
Inlejuaiiaid! Historic Rims.
. ... .100
Kaulmans Weal...
.. Cover 3
KtiUkd...
Lare InlemalkNiai.
..80
Law Rnrq rounds m A#SGeiH»Jn.
..£2
LL Baslon .
.Eft
LoaTpanics....
.95
Lenny Maglll deduction...
.W
fAd*eal S^ort Dslri&ufora (Exofec SpLvts;
. . &□
Man Graphics.
.. . ■ itf 1
North American SchtxH gr Firearms.
.97 |
Oklifmmij Gun Show
.. .91
Qlffr; GIChy .Marketing .. ......
.79
Fafladin Press.
Parana*.. .
. 5
Phogwx Systems.
.. IS
Pioneer A Cnrnpftny.
.
Pr eesian Cheating.
.ea
Sherwood Inrtevrtfllioaal.
.77
SOF CorweFidors...
... 12-13
SQF Exchange
.. 20-21
SQ- Z Si^5crtpli:>n ....
.33
Survival Bocfcs... ■ .
..101
Siirviv.jl Stcirp ■ .
.. .9*
Tripwire Enlerpfisfl. ...
v ... 1D1
Un.verfial solitary frjKfflara.
.95
U.S. Cava-ty...
.17
Vgiley Surplus
.90
Visions Urlimilnn.
■ 00
SUPPLY LOCKED
Pds10*i...
. 1 oz
Calco. ..
. 103,104
CCS Communications ...
..103
Century Mej^I Arts .
... .102
Ctirlmark IrnsfnalionHl. ., ,
102
Clewtenri .
. 100
Creative .
...106
CuilKfi Cdflrwrord Khiva*.
,.1Dd
□ev^s Brigade.
... 105
Eden Press....
__1(M
Feather EnlErpnsee..
.105
FEftie Grofe ..
.102
G.I. Jaecm .. . . ... .
1{>4
■Gleaal School......
.1D5
Jimmy Llle.. ■ ■
.105
■J R Sliijjorg-.
.104
UletinHu'.. . ...
. i ra
lhhP Security Systems...
_102
Ma Cl hews Ptyice Supply ...
.. .104
Neplun^ FiruwOri.!:.
.. 105
NjmrttTi Anna ..
. 103
Prime Targate . ..
105
PP Knivea .
.. i&e
Sin to - ProdudkHns.
.. 106
Slankpbta Btiitfcs ...
103105
Sp&aai Action CammendD .
... .1D3
S.T.A.,krG . .
... 104
The Utijmale Qeme.
.105
Vxrlcjr Tango.
.. -102
Wfctilbjfy Sales.
....ioe
112 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
JULY 85
A ti*Sdjk
SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! 1
Battie Oress^j^v^v pa nts fea1ure: 6 poc)(ets
Uniforms /0?3^ yKWb, (thigh pockets are bel-
/□mI’clowed); drawstring
DUU cuffs; adjustable waist
'cS^t^A tab. Jackets feature: 4
rSftV fe$lttr2d pockets, bellows style.
TFj3v£2\ fell us your chest,
hefght, and waist
Mhbtyi 4 measurements
wh0ft ortt ® rtn B-
□ Woodland Pattern
vi2^L\f\ !kMt Cam0Uft *B0 ■ 500/0 cotton/
'y-Jy >E?k4t 50% nylon. Army's latest
WpweXt P^* issue; the pants have a
'Urii 1j\ reinforced seat and knees;
^U-aLvArt? the jacket has reinforced elbows. Brand New.
VAku/a Specify: Jacket or Pants $3Q.OO/eacb;
1 y^Tf WTO.$57.50/111.
VSy/li L?l^ < D Day Desert Pattern Camouflage - 50%
WaH cotton/50% nylon. Latest issue to Airborne
XV& Troops of the Rapid Deployment Force. Brand
flLJj \ STfe New. Reinforceo as Woooland Ffcttem above,
tj ,of rylH Specify: Jackal or Pants $34.00/each;
Mr .$65.00/set.
$ W □ Olive Drab (OD) Green -100% cotton,
ripstop; as used in early Vietnam. Current Gl manufacture. Brand
New. Specify: Jacket or Pants $30.00/each; $57.50/set.
□ Solid Black — a favorite of SWAT teams, these fatigues were
manufactured in the US by a government contractor to military
specs. 50% cotton/50% nylon, these are reinforced as the Gl Wood¬
land Pattern above. Regular lengths only (no longs).
Specify Jacket or Pants .$34.00/each; $65.00/set.
□ Tiger Stripe Pattern Camouflage
these are made by a US Government contractor to military specs.
The tiger stripe pattern is true. They are reinforced as the Wood¬
land Irattern Camouflage, above. Regular lengths only (no longs).
Specify Jacket or Pants, .$34.00/each; S65.00/set.
PLEASE. NO 006 TAG IMPRINTING ORDERS BV TELEPHONE.
pra
q We’ve taken the official distinctive insignia of elite professional troops
• and affixed them to a genuine Gl tag. Sold with 4" stainless
£ chain...perfect for use as a keychain or worn with your dog tag set.
Cbetu the tint dag lag eh Spatial Farcas; AMenVffingm;
Pintreefers; USHC Race*; USMC fitoka 6 Anchor, 101st Aktoma;
O ar I2ad Abtama SS.OO/iatii.
I Dag Tag Silencers • DiacK. non glare
I tor taq'^
!□ Jogging Shorts -Ours are stylish
jj shorts made in the USA that feature a trim fit
fZ and fashionable good looks. Perfect whether
m worn for a hard workout or as trend setting
_ fashion. Sizes are from S to XL. Tell us your
£ waist size when ordering. $6. 50/each.
2 □ Woodland Camouflage Pattern
“ Desert Camouflage Pattern I
1 □ Olive Drab (00) Green
IP
rubber bumpers I
$1.00/paii
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Sunglasses
25% Off- These are the
CM /u VII ^ McCoys
/ by Bausch & Lomb. Also USAF
and NASA Pilot glasses. Call for free
sunglass brochure
SALE!!
Pre-Summer BDU Sale thru July 6th
$5.00 OFF every BDU set price, and
$2.00 OFF any pants or jacket!
To get sale pnce you MUST mention this issue of SOF
o QGI USMC Fatigue Hat-
E Specify: Woodland Camo or Olive Orab
(OD) Green. S.M.L.XL $5.00/eacfi.
I Military Goods CatalOg**Cenumem<bU\nnmm(| qe,i»
,inn equipment with .in emphasis on (,tnifluil,jqt > Set* net.iii', on
.rnn many owe rputen items $1 00/each Free wi*h order
□ US Navy Style Commander s
Cap with‘Scrambled Egg’ Visor
This cap features a mesh back
and fully adjustable headband to fit all neads i
comfortably. Choose: Navy Blue or Black
$5.75/each.
rf5S
Please include appropriate shipping costs from chart below with each
order. Amounts shown include costs of postage, packaging, insurance
and handling.
Orders up to $10.00 $3.00
Orders Iran $10.01 to 20.00 . 3.75
Orders Irom $20.01 to 35.00 4.50
Orders from $35.01 to 50.00 . 5.25
Orders from $50.01 to 70.00 6.25
Orders from $70.01 to 90.00 , 7.25
Orders over $90.00 8.00
Canadian Orden-Send Double Amount Indicated.
These “Boome Hats are the real thing!! Brand new. complete with
brass screened eyelets, cartridge holder hat band (except Dessert Camo)
and chin strap, choose between:
□ Leal pattern camouflage, Gl ripstop; 100% cotton as used in
Vietnam. Genuine Gl. $14.00/each.
□ Woodland Pattern camo, army’s latest issue; 50% cotton/50%
nylon Genuine Gl. $12.25/aatft.
□ Desert camouflage; just issued to the U S. Rapid Deployment
Forces. 50% cotton/50% nylon; Genuine Gl. $12.25/each.
□ Otlve Drab (00) Green; 100% cotton Gl ripstop as used in early
Vietnam. Genuine Gl . .. .$T4.Q0/eaeh.
The following jungle hats are our finest qualify commercially made
copies at $7.00/each. Select: □ Leaf Camouflage Pattern
□ Tiger Stripe Camouflage Pattern
Specify size: S(7); M(7V4); 3 ° iIvb D 2 b Grwn (0D)
L (7VS): XL (7V<). BBSS!***
mjk We’re America’s
pnSpI] Army & Navy Store!!
SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!!
- - I
□ Distress Marker GSMBir**'
Rescue Strobe Light—
This is a high mtesity strobe beacon which
penetrates ram and fog and is visible for
distances up to 15 miles. Standard pilot
survival gear, this light is about the size of
a pack of cigarettes (1" x 2" x 4V?") ye!
it puts out a dazzling white flash (250.000
lumens) 50 times per minute for up to 9 hours.
The unit is waterproof and shockproof. Sold
complete with case and 1 battery . 5».3 V«b*
□ Replacement Batteries for Strobe Light
$10.75
SALE!!
Pre-Summer Sale thru July 6th
$4.00 OFF every Strobe Light!!
To get sale price you MUST mention this issue of SOF
□ Drill Instructor/Smokey the
Bear Hat —Formally called the Campaign Hat
this is a really fine quality pressed felt headpiece.
A hat with character. No one who wears it
escapes a personality change. An uncon¬
trollable urge to shout orders or heap abuses,
pursue flamers or write traffic tickets. Let your true
or wistful self be heard. Sizes: 6-7/8 to 7-3/4 $19.75/uck.
□ Genuine Leather Chin Strap S 2 .oa/a«dL
□ Acorn Hat Cord (as shown). fS.OO/cKfc.
(Specify color: silver, gold metallic, black/gold, metallic, yellow, red or
light blue).
We’re Not The Cheapest!! But Then, We’re Not Trying To Be.
For over 65 years the Kaufman name has been respected for offering the finest in genuine
military goods and insignia Our committment to first rate service is legendary Our service
policy means
• All in stock items are shipped no later than the next business day regardless of whether
you pay by check, money order, credit card or C 0 D (There is a C O D fee of $4.00 in ad
dition to the regular shipping)
• Toll free telephone lines direct to our Customer Service Department We'll not only be glad
to take your orders (every firm with an 000 number will do that) but we'll also be happy to
answer your questions Whether you're calling to ask about our merchandise or the status
of an order you placed, we guarantee friendly, courteous service
No. we're not the cheapest But you get what you pay for ff you order the cheapest you
may wait ti long time for delivery of something you may ultimately be unhappy with If you
order from Kaufman's you'll see why top quality merchandise and first rate service (with a
Customer Service Department always available) will squeeze the most value out of every
dollar you spend Call Toll Free 1 -800-545 0933
□ YES! Send me one year (12 issues) of Soldier of
Fortune for $23.95 — I save 33%.
□ I prefer two years (24 issues) for only $43.95 — I save
38%.
Savings based on annual newsstand rale of $36.
□ PAYMENT ENCLOSED (U.S. FUNDS ONLY)
□ MASTERCARD □ VISA
CARD #_EXP. DATE_
(Offer good in U.S., Mexico & Canada only.
(Foreign & Special Domestic rates available upon request.)
Offer expires 12/31 /85 B6SR5
SAVE OVER $12*
□ YES! Send me one year (12 issues) of SOF for only $23.95.
I SAVE 33%. (‘Savings based on annual newsstand rate of $36.)
□ Payment enclosed (U.S. Funds only)
□ MasterCard □ VISA
Card #_ Exp. Date
Signature_
SOLDIER
OF FORTUNE
Name
Address
City State Zipcode
BGSBB5
(Offer good in U.S., Mexico & Canada only. Foreign & Special Domes¬
tic rates available upon requreat.) Please allow 6-8 weeks for your first
copy to be mailed.
Offer expires 12/31/85
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
IN THE
UNITED STATES
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 8 _ MT. MORRIS, IL
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
P.O. Box 348
Mt. Morris, IL 61054-9984
New! The AR-15
you know is now
available in 9mm.
Colt adds a new compact 9mm Carbine to
its M16/AR-15 family of weapons used by law
enforcement and military forces throughout
the world. Acquiring the new 9mm Carbine
eliminates hours of training and familiarization
that other 9mm weapon systems require. It is
the most practical way to broaden your police
department’s selection of calibers, while
reducing the risk of confusion.
9mm Carbine: Short
compact carbine chambered for 9mm
NATO, with collapsible buttstock
(shown extended) ribbed round hand-
guard, and 16" barrel. Furnished
with a 20-round magazine, cleaning
This
new sporter model incorporates many
of the features adopted by the U.S.
Military; forward bolt assist, a stiffer 20"
barrel, with rifling twist of 1 turn in 7"
for use with both standard and new
NATO ammunition; stronger nylon
ribbed round handguard, buttstock
and pistol grip; improved heat deflector.
Furnished with two 5-round magazines,
cleaning kit and nylon sling.
Available mid 1985
Caliber Rifle:
This match grade version is equipped
with the new M16A2 target style rear
sight, adjustable for elevation and
windage up to 800 meters, and fea¬
tures a cartridge deflector for left t
hand shooters. ^ /
AR
15A2 223
:aliber Carbine: Short
compact AR-15 carbine with collapsible
buttstock (shown extended) ribbed
round handguard, and 16" barrel with
new 1 in 7" twist. Furnished with two 5-
round magazines, cleaning kit and sling.
New target style rear
sight.
Colt 4x scope: Can be mounted
in seconds without the need for
special tools.
All Colt M16 and AR-15s fire from a closed bolt position for increased
accuracy. Fully automatic models available to military and bonafide law
enforcement agencies.
Be a safe shooter — never chamber a round until you are ready to
shoot. Always read and follow the instruction manuals which accompany
each firearm. Free Colt catalogs and instruction manuals are also available
from the factory on request.
A Heritage of
Fine Craftsmanship
Hartford, CT 06101
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11